Nepal court remands former Minister Bishnu Paudel to seven days in money laundering probe

The Special Court in Nepal on Tuesday (June 23, 2026) permitted investigators to keep former Finance Minister Bishnu Paudel in custody for seven days in connection with a money laundering case.

The Department of Money Laundering Investigation (DMLI) on Tuesday (June 23) produced Mr. Paudel before the court, seeking judicial authorisation to detain him following his arrest.

He was arrested in connection with a money laundering investigation linked to a controversial businessman, who is currently in custody under a money laundering case.

The court approved a seven-day remand, allowing investigators to continue the probe.

Vice President of the Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Marxist–Leninist), Mr. Paudel was the Finance Minister during the K.P. Sharma Oli-led government that was toppled during the Gen-Z movement in September last year. He was detained on Monday (June 22) by DMLI for amassing property.

Mr. Paudel was arrested from a hotel in Surkhet district, where he was attending a programme organised by the CPN-UML on Monday (June 22). A day after the arrest, he was brought to Kathmandu on Tuesday (June 23).

Published - June 23, 2026 10:59 pm IST