Himal Press 
KATHMANDU: The number of suspended members in the 275-member House of Representatives has reached four.
CPN (Unified Socialist) Chairperson Madhav Kumar Nepal is the latest addition to the list. Nepal was suspended after a corruption case was filed against him at the Supreme Court.
The Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA) on Thursday filed a corruption case against the former Prime Minister at the Special Court, demanding recovery of Rs 185.85 million in embezzled funds, penalties and punishment in relation to the Patanjali land scam.
Nepal was elected to the House of Representatives from Rautahat-1 in the 2022 general election.
Earlier, Nepali Congress lawmaker Mohan Bahadur Basnet was suspended after being implicated in a corruption case. The CIAA filed a case against Basnet for his alleged involvement in the Teramocs procurement. He was elected from Sindhupalchok-2.
Another suspended lawmaker is Rabi Lamichhane. Lamichhane, who is also the president of the Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP), was suspended after cases related to cooperative fraud and money laundering were filed against him. He was elected to the lower house from the Chitwan-2 constituency.
Similarly, CPN-UML’s Top Bahadur Rayamajhi has also been suspended after being implicated in the fake Bhutanese refugee scam. Rayamajhi was elected from Arghakhanchi in the 2022 general election.
One lawmaker, Geeta Basnet of the Rastriya Prajatantra Party (RPP), is currently on the run after being implicated in a cooperative fraud case.
“If a charge sheet is filed against a member of the House of Representatives in a criminal case that involves moral turpitude or carries a sentence of three years or more, and the individual is in judicial custody for trial or has absconded instead of being in custody, they shall not be entitled to perform any duties, exercise any rights or receive any privileges as a member. During this period, they shall be considered suspended, and all remuneration, services, and facilities shall be withheld,” states Clause 248 (3) of the House of Representatives Rules.
