Impunity Under Scanner

The Balen Shah government has formed a high-level Asset Investigation Commission to examine the wealth of political leaders and senior bureaucrats from 2006 to the current fiscal year 2025/26. That timeline begins with the post–People’s Movement transition, when the country entered a new political era—and, incidentally, when public suspicion over the sudden accumulation of wealth among officials began to grow louder. The five-member commission is led by former Supreme Court justice Rajendra Kumar Bhandari. It includes former justices Chandi Raj Dhakal and Purushottam Parajuli, former Deputy Inspector General Ganesh KC, and chartered accountant Prakash Lamsal. The Cabinet approved the body on Wednesday, following through on a commitment made shortly after the current government took office. The idea also stems from the government’s 100-point reform plan, where asset investigation was listed as a priority. However, forming a commission is the easy—almost ceremonial—step. Nepal has a long history of announcing probes that generate headlines, only to quietly disappear into files that gather dust. This commission risks the same fate if it turns into a selective exercise or a political tool aimed at targeting rivals while protecting allies. That would not just weaken the process; it would deepen public distrust.