Kathmandu — Former President Ram Baran Yadav and former Prime Ministers KP Sharma Oli and Jhalanath Khanal have returned about Rs 370 million to the state treasury, money previously spent for their foreign medical treatment. The repayment was made through the UML party’s account at Nepal Rastra Bank.
However, legal experts stress that returning the money does not erase liability. A former Supreme Court justice stated: “Even if the money is returned, the case must proceed — corruption remains corruption.”
The Public Health Act 2075 clearly prohibits the government from bearing the cost of foreign medical treatment. Although past laws and procedures allowed such expenses, the Supreme Court recently annulled those provisions.
The Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority confirmed that its probe is ongoing but declined to share details, citing confidentiality. Meanwhile, dissatisfaction has grown within UML over the decision to refund the amount from party funds.
