Nepal minister resigns after bribery audio leak sparks public outrage
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Nepal's Minister for Federal Affairs and General Administration, Rajkumar Gupta, announced his resignation on Tuesday following a bribery scandal that sparked widespread public and political backlash.Gupta made the announcement via Facebook, days after an audio recording surfaced allegedly capturing him accepting a bribe in exchange for influencing political appointments and land-related decisions."It is well known to everyone that my name has been continuously associated with bribery deals for the past few days. Sometimes it seems like I have become the victim for the incident where I have no role. I have now tendered my resignation from the post of Minister of General Administration to the Honorable Prime Minister so that he can help in investigating the allegations and bringing out the truth," Gupta stated.The leaked audio, reportedly recorded between late December, 2024 and January this year, implicates Gupta in a monetary deal related to the appointment of the Land Commission Chair in Kaski district.In the recording, Gupta--also a leader of the CPN-UML--is allegedly heard demanding NPR 7.8 million in exchange for a political appointment and the transfer of a civil servant in the district.Opposition parties strongly demanded his resignation and called for legal action, accusing the minister of breaching public trust and abusing his authority. Civil society organisations and members of the public also voiced outrage, calling for accountability and systemic reforms.Besides the bribery allegations, Gupta has also been accused of pressuring various land revenue offices to comply with his demands and of threatening inter-ministerial transfers for non-compliance.The scandal also put Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli under pressure. Lawmakers from both the ruling coalition and the opposition had demanded Gupta's resignation, but Oli initially remained silent.The issue was reportedly not discussed during Monday evening's cabinet meeting, which Gupta also attended. Following the meeting, Prime Minister Oli held separate discussions with Nepali Congress President and ruling ally Sher Bahadur Deuba, as well as Janata Samajbadi Party Chairman Upendra Yadav.Meanwhile, questions have also been raised about Minister for Land Management and Cooperatives, Balaram Adhikari, who is also affiliated with the UML.Addressing Parliament on Monday, Maoist Centre Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal accused the government of shielding corruption and serving the interests of middlemen. He criticised the administration for politicising institutions and fostering a system that empowers brokers while sidelining official government mechanisms.
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