The government investigation committee's report has confirmed that the land bought by the Patanjali Yogpeeth and Ayurveda Company Nepal, run by Indian yoga guru Ramdev, was embezzled at a limited discount to operate the industry.

But instead of investigating and taking action against those who misappropriate the said land, the government has kept the report secret. Although the Land Management and Records Department has submitted a report to the government with the suggestion that Patanjali should be further investigated for misappropriation of land against the restriction conditions and restrictions, the report has not been made public. 

Indian yoga guru Ramdev's Patanjali embezzled 353 plants

After a decade and a half of Patanjali's illegal purchase and sale of restricted land, in 2080, the Land Management and Records Department conducted an investigation into the matter. A three member committee consisting of Acharya was formed. The committee said that Patanjali has illegally misappropriated demarcated land and suggested that those involved be investigated and brought to justice.

However, the report has been kept secret by the government. Kantipur had published news on Thursday about the misappropriation of land bought by Patanjali at a limited discount to run the industry. During the search for more evidence in this regard, it has been found that the government investigation committee has clearly confirmed that Patanjali has misused the demarcated land in Banepa of Kavre. 

On January 18, 2066, the Cabinet led by Madhav Kumar Nepal gave approval to Patanjali to buy 815 acres of land in Kavre with a limited discount to run Ayurvedic University, Research Center, Yogashala, Ayurvedic Medicine Industry, Herb Cultivation, Cow Farm etc. After that Patanjali purchased more than 593 ropani land in Savik's Sanga, Nasikasthan and Mahendra Jyoti gavis (Chalal Ganeshsthan) currently under Banepa municipality of Kavre, and less than a month and a half after that, the Council of Ministers decided to grant 353 ropani 15 annas land to Kastamandap Business Homes Pvt. was sold

The then UML leader was the Prime Minister of Nepal when the controversial decision to sell the demarcated land was made. Even now, Pushpa Kamal Dahal is the president of CPN-S, the power component of the government of Nepal. After it was found that Patanjali illegally sold 354 ropani of land in Banepa for plotting and bought only 88 ropani in Dhulikhel, this transaction was seen as suspicious. Patanjali industry is operating on the same land bought in Dhulikhel. 

The land purchased at a limited discount for operating company-industry/trade-business, educational institutions, foundations, etc. cannot be used contrary to the conditions. Section 12 of the Land Act, 2021 has clearly explained the terms and conditions to be followed, including the amount of land to be leased, the value of the land, the employment received from the operation of the company/institution, even if the restricted land has to be transferred to another place by registering it for speculation. The Supreme Court has also ruled in the case of Giribandhu T-Estate of Jhapa on 24th March, 2080 that the land obtained under limited exemption for the purpose of conducting industry/establishment cannot be consumed/used/exchanged for the purposes for which it was taken.

Secretly for a decade and a half, the government doesn't seem to be careful to investigate this case. Officials at the political and administrative levels are also silent on the investigation of the embezzlement of demarcated land. At the same time, after receiving a complaint from the Commission for Investigation of Abuse of Authority, the department formed an investigation committee after instructing the Ministry of Land Management to investigate the truth. The

committee prepared a report based on the on-site study, decisions made by the Council of Ministers, the Ministry of Land Management and the various departments, Patanjali's transactions and sections of the land law. In the report, Patanjali illegally bought and sold demarcated land and recommended further investigation and action, but the government kept the report secret. Krishna Prasad Sapkota, director general of the department, said that he came to the department only a few days ago and will clarify more issues only by looking at and studying the reports made earlier. 

If someone has misappropriated or misused the land against the terms and conditions of the restriction, he must be punished according to the law. Director General Sapkota said to Kantipur, "After studying the report of the investigation committee formed by the department, we will do so accordingly." He said that the details of demarcated land will also be requested from the Port Office Kavre. Patanjali of the Bhandari-led investigation committee has mentioned that there is no coordination between the documents submitted in the Malpot and the actual transactions during the sale and transaction of demarcated land.

In the government records, it has been found that the revenue was paid to the government at the rate of Rs 1 lakh for the sale of the said land. However, the actual transaction seems to be buying and selling at the rate of 10 lakhs. The report mentions that a separate investigation should be conducted on this issue. It has been suggested that "after further investigation, if it is found that there has been embezzlement of revenue, take action accordingly". In the same way, the report said that even if land of Banepa is sold and land of the same value is not bought, investigation should be conducted and those involved in the crime should be brought to justice.

Patanjali Yogpeeth and Ayurveda Company is registered as a non-profit trust in Nepal. It seems that Yogi Ramdev, Balkrishna Acharya, Shaligram Singh, Rajendra Singh and Umesh Sarraf are the directors of this company which was registered on 20th December 2064 with the address of Kathmandu Metropolitan City-7 Buddh. In 2066, the land was bought and sold through the company's charterer Shaligram Singh. 

The fifth amendment of the Land Act, 2021, which was amended in 2058, set the limits of 11 bighas in the Terai region, 25 ropani in Kathmandu and 75 ropani in the hilly areas. However, according to the Eighth Amendment (2076), a person can currently hold up to 10 bighas in Terai and Inner Madhesh, 25 plantations in Kathmandu Valley and 70 plantations in hilly areas. A person or his family can keep 1 bigha in terai and inner Madhesh, 5 ropani in Kathmandu valley and 5 ropani in hilly area if needed for homestead

. However, there is a provision that land can be purchased from the government at a limited discount after confirming the need to operate industries/businesses/organizations etc. However, the land taken under limited exemption cannot be used contrary to the conditions. If the condition is violated or misused, the government can bring the land in its name. However, the government has become a silent spectator in the illegal buying and selling of Patanjali. 

A decade and a half ago, after Patanjali got approval to buy 815 ropani land in Kavre with limited concession, it seems that Patanjali applied again for the sale of 593 ropani land in three places of Banepa, showing that he did not get enough land and could not match the rest of the land in Sadhiyar. After that, the government gave permission to Patanjali to sell Banepa's land. At the time when the Council of Ministers gave the approval, Nepal was Prime Minister, Land Reforms Minister Dumbar Shrestha, Chief Secretary Madhav Ghimire and Land Reforms Secretary Chhaviraj Pant.