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The Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA) has filed a corruption case against 18 individuals, including Nepal Telecom’s Managing Director Sangita Pahadi. The case has been forwarded to the Special Court. The CIAA alleges irregularities involving Nepal Telecom’s billing system, maintenance fees, and other financial discrepancies that have caused a loss of Rs 330m to the state.

The other defendants in the case include Sunil Paudel, Pratibha Shrestha, Hemprabha Rampratap Karn, Nawal Chaudhary, Rajendra Shrestha, Jhabindra Lal Upadhyay, Devendra Khatiwada, Binita Shrestha, Amul Pradhan, Rajiv Kumar KC, Muktiprasad Aryal, Santosh Kumar Shrestha, Parmatma Bhattarai, and Shailesh Shrestha. Additionally, foreign nationals Long Yang and Hong Wei, along with the Chinese company AsiaInfo Inc, have also been named as defendants.

During the investigation, statements were recorded from former Chief Secretary Baikuntha Aryal, government employees including two joint secretaries, and members of the Nepal Telecom Board of Directors. However CIAA has decided not to file charges against 24 individuals who were under investigation in this case. No case has been filed against former Chief Secretary Aryal, former Secretary of Communications and then Chairperson of the Board, Hari Prasad Basyal, Bhupal Baral and Uttarkumar Khatri, both then Joint Secretaries and board members of Nepal Telecom, as well as board member Shankar Lamichhane.

Also exempt from prosecution are Company Secretary Rajendra Aryal, then Managing Director Dilliram Adhikari, then Technical Officer Bhanuraj Shrestha, former Director Radhakrishna Dhungel, and then Deputy Managing Director Minu Pradhan. Other individuals not charged include former Directors Sabina Maskey, former Managers Hari Dhakal, Gangasagar Matanche, Kumar Prasad Khatriwada, Prakash Manandhar, Subodh Rimal, Shobhan Adhikari, and Anup Regmi. Similarly, no case will be filed against former Deputy Managers Maniraj Poudel, Sudipraj Ghimire, Saroj Pradhan, Santosh Bhandari, and then Senior Engineer Prayag Khadka.

In Dec 2022, Nepal Telecom signed a contract with the company AsiaInfo, under which the company was to receive over Rs 3bn over five years—approximately Rs 650m annually. On 8 Jan 2023, the board of Nepal Telecom decided to sign a four-year Annual Maintenance Contract (AMC) with AsiaInfo, the company that had been providing billing system services. The board also approved a proposal to extend the contract for an additional year if necessary. Although the board had also decided to initiate a new tender process at that time, no such process has begun to date.

A billing system is essential for operating telephone and internet services. When one user calls another, the billing system processes the connection. Without sufficient balance, the billing system restricts the service.

Nepal Telecom has been using the current billing system since 2012. Although the system is supposed to be upgraded every eight–nine years, it has been in use for over a decade. This has led to several problems such as calls not connecting, service interruptions, and calls getting dropped mid-conversation. Service disruptions have been frequent in Nepal Telecom.

Over the past few years, various studies and investigations have highlighted significant flaws in Nepal Telecom’s billing system and recommended switching to a new one.

When the Sher Bahadur Deuba-led government was formed, Baikuntha Aryal became the Secretary of the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology in July 2021 and also assumed the role of chairperson of Nepal Telecom’s board. To appoint Sunil Paudel as MD of Nepal Telecom, the company’s “Managing Director Appointment and Service Directive, 2075” was amended and the former was appointed MD on 7 April 2022. After that, the process to call for a new billing system tender stalled further. The maintenance contract for AsiaInfo’s old billing system was also set to expire on 18 Sept 2022.

A government-formed committee under the Ministry of Communications raised questions about AsiaInfo’s performance and pointed out that service disruptions occurred due to the irresponsibility of the company’s technicians. A major issue started on 13 Jan 2023, but because the following two days were public holidays, maintenance work was delayed. The issue was identified and services resumed only after offices reopened on Jan 17. Despite recurring problems, Nepal Telecom kept awarding additional maintenance contracts to the same controversial company.

At that time, the board of Nepal Telecom approved the proposal to extend the maintenance contract with AsiaInfo for four more years—and an additional year if needed. Since purchases exceeding Rs 600m required approval from higher authorities, the board had to endorse the contract extension file accordingly.

It’s getting hot and humid and dressing comfortably is of paramount importance to feel at ease during this time. But does that mean we have to give style a miss and only wear baggy pants and cotton tops for the rest of the summer months? Not at all. There are easy ways to jazz up your outfits. A simple ensemble can be stylish and look well put-together with some thought and effort. Here we tell you how you can stay comfortable and classy when the sun’s out and you’d rather jump into the swimming pool than attend meetings and work. 

Create a summer wardrobe

Take a look at what you have and pull out all the clothes that aren’t comfortable or those that you haven’t worn in a while. Choose pieces that you want to wear, the ones you feel comfortable in and keep them aside. Fold or hang them where you can access them easily. This makes getting ready a lot easier than having to hunt for clothes when it’s time to go out. Once you know what you have, decide what you want to buy and invest in a few summer pieces like an oversized white cotton shirt, a flowy dress, some skirts, and perhaps even a few co-ord sets that you can wear together or mix and watch with other items in your closet. 

Take a look at your accessories

Summer calls for dainty jewelry and light accessories rather than bulky ones that feel heavy and look out of place when paired with a breezy ensemble. So, evaluate your jewelry and accessories situation. Invest in some light earrings and belts. A neutral color bag that doesn’t have flashy hardware or too many buckles can accessorize any summer outfit. Accessories can make or break any outfit and the problem with summer outfits is that your jewelry and other things that you use can weigh it down. You have to get the balance right. Choose lightweight pieces and dainty silver jewelry to compliment your outfit and don’t over accessorize. Stick to one or two pieces at the most. 

Don’t go all baggy

We tend to wear loose fitting clothes during the summer because the thought of body hugging jeans and tops make us sweat more than the actual heat. But pairing an oversized jeans with an oversized top makes you look sloppy and bigger than your actual size. It’s also not a good outfit choice for office and formal occasions, never mind the oversized suit trends you see on Instagram. Pair one loose clothing item with another well fitted one. For example, wear a well-fitted trouser with a flowy top instead of a loose harem pant with a flowy top. The key is to make sure one thing fits properly. It doesn’t have to be a body hugging piece. You can opt for tailored cotton pants or linen leggings. 

Opt for pastel colors

Dark colors trap heat and make you feel uncomfortable. Light colors reflect sunlight and have a cooling effect. Pastel colors look really good during the summer months. They give you an airy feeling while looking proper and put together as well. Choose lightweight, breathable fabrics and make sure they are in a lighter shade for the extra impact. Soft hues like baby blue, lavender, peach, and mint are perfect for summer. It’s not that you can’t wear dark colors during summer but try to avoid it when you can, especially during the day. 

Pay attention to the details

Wear comfortable shoes. Avoid closed, heavy shoes that can trap sweat. Opt for sandals and breathable sneakers in canvas instead. Keep your makeup light so that it doesn’t melt in the heat and also doesn’t make your look sweaty and shiny. Opt for just a moisturizer and sunscreen when you can as a natural look is more practical during the summer. This way, you can use oil blotting sheets to dab away the excess oil from your face during the day. Layering might seem counterintuitive but it can help you transition from outdoor heat to indoor ac with ease. It can also protect your skin from sun damage. The trick is to use light or sheer fabrics when layering. And lastly, choose the right undergarment. Avoid padded bras and synthetic materials. 

Though I generally tend to read thrillers when I need to distract myself from what is happening around me, there are some non-thriller titles that I pick up when my heart feels heavy and I need something to cheer me up. Books like ‘Matilda’ and ‘The Twits’ by Roald Dahl and anything by David Sedaris and Nick Hornby have witty writing and funny plots and I would recommend these if you were looking for some fun reads. 

But for me, there are some OG (cue in an eyeroll here for the millennial slang) of funny books the thought of which just instantly cheers me up. I can pick these books up and because I know the plot like the back of my hand I don’t even have to read it cover to cover. I just randomly flip to a page and read a passage or a line here and there. This week, I thought I’d share them with you as we could all do with some joy in our hectic lives.

Three Men in a Boat by Jerome K Jerome

Published in 1889, ‘Three Men in a Boat’ by Jerome K Jerome is a hilarious book about a two-week boating vacation. It was initially meant to be a serious travel guide but ended up becoming an account of three friends and their dog on a boating trip. The author and his friends are tired of regular life and decide to take a vacation. The book describes the adventures of the friends during their trip along the River Thames from Kingston to Oxford. There are mishaps and comic encounters that will leave you in splits. The writing is also funny and you get glimpses of London that will make you feel like you are actually there.

Bridget Jones’s Diary by Helen Fielding

I love Helen Fielding for creating Bridget Jones. In my head, she’s not just a fictional character but someone who actually lives somewhere in this world and ‘Bridget Jones’s Diary’ is actually her diary. The book is well written, funny, and relatable. You are privy to the character’s weaknesses and flaws and that makes her extremely endearing. Her thoughts are laugh out loud funny. You can’t believe she is serious about all the things she stresses about. Reading the book or even parts of it always brings my deepest insecurities to the surface and forces me to look at them in a light manner. It was published in 1998 but it’s as relevant today as it was back then.

Bossypants by Tina Fey

Tina Fey is an American actress, writer, and comedian. She gained popularity for creating and starring as Liz Lemon in the popular show ‘30 Rock’. She created the musical adaptation of the popular movie ‘Mean Girls’. She has appeared in the Time 100 list of the 100 most influential people in the world. Her memoir ‘Bossypants’, which was subject to a bidding war among publishers, came out in 2011. I asked a cousin who was in the US to send me a copy of the book as it wasn’t available in Nepal back then. I’m someone who never asks for such favors so you can imagine how badly I wanted to read the book. Bossypants is funny, inspirational, and makes you want to take life a little less seriously.

Nepal’s democratic transition was a historic achievement, born out of years of struggle against autocracy and exclusion. The promise was clear: a more inclusive, transparent and accountable political system that would work for all Nepalis. However, in recent years, that promise appears increasingly under threat—not from overt dictatorship or conflict, but from a more insidious danger: crony capitalism, underpinned by corruption and rent-seeking behavior.

Instead of fulfilling the vision of a just and equitable society, Nepal’s political and economic systems are becoming instruments of private gain. Political power is being used not to deliver public service, but to protect vested interests, distribute favors and reward loyalty. As a result, the foundations of democracy are weakening, and inequality, injustice, and disillusionment are growing.

Graft in daily life

One of the clearest signs of Nepal’s corruption problem is the widespread practice of bribery in daily government work. People often complain that they have to pay extra money to get basic services—like getting a driver’s license, registering land or receiving government help. This kind of small-scale corruption is not just occasional; it has become a regular part of the system. Many lower-level officials take bribes, often with the knowledge or silent approval of their bosses. Because of this, public services no longer work fairly, and people lose trust in the system. Along with this, Nepal is now facing several big corruption scandals, such as irregularities in the construction of Bhairahawa and Pokhara airports, cheating in government purchases, and growing cases of human trafficking. These examples show how deep and serious corruption has become in the country.

Patronage over meritocracy

In a healthy democracy, public appointments and opportunities should be based on merit. In Nepal, however, political patronage has become the norm. Government contracts, licenses and even civil service positions are often awarded to those with political connections, not competence. This has created a dual economy—one that rewards allegiance over ability, and another that marginalizes the capable yet unconnected. Such practices discourage innovation, weaken institutions, and dishearten the youth.

Policy manipulation

Nepal’s business elite, particularly those with political ties, have increasingly influenced laws and regulations to serve their own interests. This includes securing tax exemptions, inflating budgets and establishing monopolies that block competition. Regulatory frameworks are often tailored to fit the needs of a few, undermining the spirit of fairness and market integrity. In effect, public policy is being captured and privatized.

Public procurement sans accountability

Large-scale corruption is particularly rampant in public procurement. Infrastructure, health and education projects are plagued by inflated costs, poor quality, and delayed completion. Contracts are frequently awarded without open bidding, leading to the misuse of public funds. Instead of serving the people, these projects often serve the contractors and politicians who collude behind the scenes. The result is a chronic under-delivery of essential services.

The capture of financial institutions

Even Nepal’s financial institutions are not immune. Several cooperatives and commercial banks are believed to be controlled by political actors or their close allies. These institutions have been used to launder money, issue unsecured loans to cronies and bypass financial oversight. Such practices not only promote corruption but also put ordinary depositors and the overall financial system at risk.

Consequences for the nation

The cumulative effect of corruption and rent-seeking is deeply damaging. Economic growth is stifled because genuine entrepreneurs are crowded out by politically connected firms. Inequality worsens as elites accumulate wealth while basic services for the public remain poor. Most dangerously, public trust in democratic institutions is eroding. When citizens lose faith in the rule of law and the fairness of the system, democracy itself is at risk.

Furthermore, the politicization of oversight institutions—such as the Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA), judiciary and police—has rendered many of them ineffective. These bodies are meant to serve as guardians of accountability, but they often appear reluctant or powerless to act against those in power.

The way forward

Addressing these challenges requires more than superficial reforms. It demands structural change and political will. Strengthening anti-corruption laws, ensuring transparency in public procurement and depoliticizing state institutions are essential. Political party financing must be regulated, and the independence of watchdog agencies must be guaranteed. Whistleblowers and investigative journalists must be protected, and a culture of ethical leadership must be cultivated.

Equally important is the need for civic engagement. Citizens must demand accountability, participate actively in governance and resist the normalization of corruption. Democracy does not end at the ballot box—it must be defended and deepened every day.

Conclusion

Nepal’s democracy was built with the hope of justice, equality and opportunity. Allowing that hope to be squandered by corruption and cronyism would be a profound betrayal. Crony capitalism is not just an economic issue—it is also a political and moral one. Unless addressed with urgency and courage, it threatens to undo the democratic gains made over decades. Nepal cannot afford to let democracy become a tool for private profit. It must remain a force for public good.