Sri Lanka, Oct. 20 -- The Nepalese government has begun steps to recover land in Colombo that was allegedly sold to private individuals by its former honorary consul without government approval more than three decades ago.

According to Nepalese news outlet Onlinekhabar, Nepal purchased 1.5 acres of land in Rajagiriya, Colombo, on May 18, 1989, for US$360,000 to establish an embassy.

However, one acre of the property was reportedly sold in two transactions, in 1990 and 1994, by Nepal's then honorary consul general in Sri Lanka, Albert Edirisinghe, who has since died.

Nepal's Ministry of Foreign Affairs informed Parliament that it had found no documentation authorising the former honorary consul to dispose of the property.

The land was ...