Former NTA Chief Bhupendra Bhandari Arrested in Smart Telecom Asset Auction Probe

The Central Investigation Bureau (CIB) of Nepal Police has arrested former Chairman of the Nepal Telecommunications Authority (NTA), Bhupendra Bhandari, in connection with an investigation into the controversial Smart Telecom asset auction. Authorities allege that Bhandari made decisions that caused financial harm to the state in both the Smart Telecom and Ncell cases. He is expected to be presented before the District Court to obtain judicial remand for further investigation. Investigators claim that during Bhandari's tenure as NTA chairman, which began on February 18, 2024, efforts were made to auction off Smart Telecom's assets despite the company having already come under government control following the revocation of its operating license. The CIB suspects the auction process was an organized attempt to transfer state-owned assets for private benefit. As part of the broader investigation, prominent businessman Upendra Mahato was questioned by the bureau on Thursday and later released, although officials said he remains under investigation. Earlier, former Smart Telecom Chairman Sarvesh Joshi, along with Palani Shrestha and Narendra Ulak, had also been arrested over their alleged roles in facilitating the disputed auction. The CIB is now examining both the Smart Telecom asset auction and the controversial Ncell share transaction as part of an expanded investigation into possible abuse of authority and actions detrimental to state interests.