The Supreme Court has ordered the release of former minister for federal affairs and general administration Raj Kumar Gupta on a bail of Rs 5 million in the corruption case involving Pokhara’s litchi orchard.
A joint bench of Justices Sharanga Subedi and Sunil Kumar Pokharel on Tuesday overturned the Special Court’s order to send him to judicial custody and instead directed that he be released on bail.
“The order issued by the Special Court on December 31, 2025, to keep Gupta in custody for trial does not appear sound and is therefore quashed,” the Supreme Court said. "...For now, if Raj Kumar Gupta provides Rs 5 million in cash, an equivalent bank guarantee, or property collateral, keep him on a scheduled court appearance date for trial proceedings."
A corruption case was filed in the Special Court after evidence allegedly emerged showing that then-minister Gupta had accepted a bribe of Rs 5.3 million from a real estate entrepreneur. The bribe was reportedly taken in exchange for halting the transfer of the chief of the Land Revenue Office, Kaski, and appointing someone as a member of the Land Commission.
The Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA) had filed the corruption case against seven individuals, including Gupta, on October 8, 2025. Nepali Communist Party leader and former minister Ranjita Shrestha was also implicated in the same case.
The Special Court had previously ordered Shrestha’s release on a bond of Rs 500,000. The government had appealed this decision to the Supreme Court, demanding she also be held in custody for trial. However, the Supreme Court upheld the Special Court's decision regarding her.
The CIAA claims that in this case, former minister Gupta negotiated the bribe with intermediary Sujan Lama, while Ranjita Shrestha played the role of a facilitator.
The Supreme Court cited a few grounds for granting bail to Gupta.
The court noted that although leaked audio suggested Kham Bahadur Pun would be appointed to the Land Problem Resolution Commission in Kaski, the appointment never actually took place.
The fact that it fell under the domain of the Ministry of General Administration but no such appointment was carried out was taken as a basis for Gupta’s release.
The court also said that the transfer of another defendant, Ram Chandra Adhikari, was not found to have been halted.
It further noted that bribe money was recovered, and that the accused had denied the allegations in his statements during investigation and in court.
Regarding the audio recording of the telephone conversation, the Supreme Court observed that the accused had denied it during testimony despite its transcription.
The court also cited the forensic lab report of the audio recording and Gupta’s health condition as grounds for granting bail.
