Former Minister for Communications and Information Technology and senior Nepali Congress leader Mohan Bahadur Basnet has been released on bail of NPR 25 lakh by the Special Court in Kathmandu, despite facing charges in a high-profile corruption case involving a massive NPR 3.21 billion loss.
The case, filed by the Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA), revolves around the controversial procurement of the Teramux telecom monitoring system in 2017 (2074 BS). Basnet, along with 15 other officials and business representatives, has been accused of bypassing legal procedures and misusing his authority while serving as Minister.
Basnet appeared before the special bench of Justices Tejnarayan Singh Rai, Ram Bahadur Thapa, and Bidur Koirala. After recording his statement and hearing arguments on pre-trial detention, the court ordered his release on bail. Despite the bail, he remains under judicial scrutiny as the investigation continues.
Accused Officials and Companies Named in the Teramux Scandal
In addition to Basnet, the CIAA has filed charges against 15 other individuals and multiple organizations. The accused include high-ranking officials from the Nepal Telecommunications Authority (NTA) and representatives of private companies involved in the procurement.
List of Accused Individuals:
Mohan Bahadur Basnet – Then Minister for Communications and Information Technology
Digambar Jha – Former Chairman, Nepal Telecommunications Authority
Purushottam Khanal – Former Chairman, Nepal Telecommunications Authority
Dhanaraj Nyaupane – Member, Board of Directors, Nepal Telecommunications Authority
Tika Prasad Upreti – Member, Board of Directors, Nepal Telecommunications Authority
Bijay Kumar Yadav – Director, Nepal Telecommunications Authority
Yashoda Yadav Pant – Deputy Director, Nepal Telecommunications Authority
Harin Prasad Bastola – Deputy Director, Nepal Telecommunications Authority
Achyutananda Bhusal – Deputy Director, Nepal Telecommunications Authority
Sudhir Raj Bhatt – Director, Nepal Telecommunications Authority
Dipendra Acharya – Director, Nepal Telecommunications Authority
Sandeep Adhikari – Deputy Director, Nepal Telecommunications Authority
Jamal Anouti – Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Vannarize Solutions S.A.L., Lebanon
Dilip Kumar Gurung – Chairman, Connection Trade Link Pvt. Ltd., Nepal
Tej Prasad Khanal – Representative, Connection Trade Link Pvt. Ltd., Nepal
Bikash Bhandari – Representative, BIDH Management (Foreign Company Representative)
Involved Companies:
BannerRise Solutions SAL (Lebanon) – Primary supplier of the Teramux system, Connection Trade Link Pvt. Ltd. (Nepal) – Local agent for the procurement The CIAA has invoked Section 17 of the Corruption Prevention Act 2059, seeking 8 to 14 years of imprisonment and full recovery of the NPR 3.21 billion loss incurred by the government.
Political Fallout and Basnet’s Suspension from Parliament
Following the indictment, Mohan Basnet has been automatically suspended from his position as a Member of Parliament, representing Sindhupalchok Constituency No. 2. This comes as a significant blow to his decades-long political career and to the Nepali Congress party.
The Teramux procurement was initiated during the tenure of Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba, under whose cabinet Basnet served. Critics have questioned the transparency of the process and the involvement of international vendors without competitive bidding.
Earlier this month, in what many interpreted as a premonition, Basnet remarked in Parliament: “In this country, anyone who becomes a minister will eventually land in jail.” This statement has since gone viral and is now being quoted widely in political and public discourse.
The case is being closely watched across Nepal, especially given its scale, the number of senior officials involved, and its implications on public procurement transparency. The final verdict will depend on further proceedings and presentation of evidence in court.
