Former Nepal Telecom MD Sunil Poudel Jailed in Illegal Property Case

The Special Court has found former Nepal Telecom Managing Director Sunil Poudel guilty of acquiring illegal property and sentenced him to two years and six months in prison. The verdict was delivered by a bench comprising Special Court Chairman Sudarshan Dev Bhatta and members Hemanta Rawal and Diliratna Shrestha. In addition to the jail term, the court ordered the confiscation of illegally acquired assets worth Rs. 1.275 billion (Rs. 12.75 crore) and imposed a fine equal to the confiscated amount. Poudel has also been directed to pay Rs. 5.1 million in compensation under the Crime Victim Protection Act. The case was filed by the Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA), which alleged that Poudel had accumulated wealth far beyond his legitimate income. According to the court, his lawful earnings totaled only Rs. 22.16 million, while his expenses and investments reached nearly Rs. 149.73 million, leaving Rs. 127.57 million without any verifiable legal source. The court also cited evidence of USD 135,382 held in a Singapore bank account, which forensic examinations confirmed belonged to Poudel despite his denial. His brother, Anil Poudel, who was also named as a defendant, was cleared of property confiscation after the court found insufficient evidence linking his assets to Poudel's illegal earnings. Poudel had previously been convicted in the high-profile payment gateway corruption case.