Kathmandu, June 3 -- Nabin Pokharel, an under-secretary at the Ministry of Forests and Environment, was found dead at his residence in Lokanthali, Bhaktapur, on May 24, 2024. Investigators later recovered a suicide note from the site. This tragic incident occurred just three days after the Special Court convicted Pokharel of corruption related to the procurement of equipment for the Security Printing Centre.

The high-profile procurement scandal also saw the conviction of Bikal Paudel, the former executive director of the Security Printing Centre. The court sentenced Pokharel to six months in prison, imposed a fine of Rs58.5 million alongside a recovery order of similar amounts. Following the judicial pronouncement, Pokharel was dismissed...