Kathmandu, June 25 -- The Special Court on Tuesday authorised the Department of Money Laundering Investigation (DoMLI) to keep CPN-UML vice-chair and former finance minister Bishnu Prasad Paudel in custody for seven days for investigation over allegations of abusing authority to facilitate the undervaluation of high-value shares.

He was detained on Monday.

According to investigators and government attorneys, Paudel is alleged to have played a key role in enabling the sale of shares worth around Rs300 million for Rs37.5 million.

Officials said the investigation focuses on alleged abuse of ministerial authority for financial gain, pressure on regulatory processes to benefit a business group, and possible policy-level corruption linked to...