The Department of Money Laundering Investigation has confirmed finding significant residue of burnt cash at the homes of Nepali Congress President Sher Bahadur Deuba, his wife Arju Rana, CPN leader Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’, and Congress leader Deepak Khadka. However, the department stated that it is difficult to determine the exact amount of money from the ash.
During the Gen-Z movement, the homes of these leaders were set on fire and destroyed. At that time, visuals were circulated showing large piles of cash burning inside the houses of Deuba, Prachanda, and Khadka. Following these incidents, the Department of Money Laundering seized the ash piles from the destroyed homes and initiated an investigation.
To verify whether cash was present in the burnt remains, the seized material was sent to the Central Investigation Bureau (CIB) forensic lab. According to sources within the department, the lab report confirmed the presence of substantial cash residue, but because the money was completely burnt, determining the exact amount remains challenging.
A joint investigation team, led by the department and including representatives from the Nepal Rastra Bank and CIB, is conducting an extensive and detailed investigation into the burnt cash at these top leaders’ homes.
“Based on the forensic lab report, it is possible to estimate that a significant sum was present, but it is not possible to declare the exact amount,” officials said, adding that the investigation process could be difficult. However, they remain hopeful that additional evidence and statements from the individuals involved may clarify the situation.
The forensic report highlighted that burnt fragments of US dollars and Nepali rupees (in 500 and 1,000 denominations) were found at Deuba’s residence in Budhanilkantha, leading the department to seize the remnants. Some eyewitnesses had claimed that Deuba kept a tank or container for storing cash at his house.
Similarly, at Prachanda’s house, safes used to store money were reportedly broken, and footage circulated showing piles of burnt cash in one of the rooms.
The investigation team plans to collect further evidence before taking statements from the leaders, which may provide additional clarity regarding the amount of cash present in the burnt remains.
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