Paudel sent to seven-day custody for money laundering probe

KATHMANDU: The Special Court on Tuesday allowed the Department of Money Laundering Investigation (DoMLI) to keep CPN-UML Vice Chairperson and former finance minister Bishnu Paudel in custody for seven days for investigation.

A division bench of Special Court judges Narayan Prasad Paudel, Hemanta Rawal and Umesh Koirala issued the order.

The DoMLI had sought permission to keep Paudel in custody for 20 days.

Paudel was arrested in Surkhet on Monday evening at the request of the DoMLI. He was transported to Kathmandu overnight by road and produced before the Special Court on Tuesday for a remand hearing.

Sources at the DoMLI said Paudel has been charged with money laundering after investigators found alleged links to controversial businessman Deepak Bhatta, who is currently in the Special Court custody pending trial.