Home Minister Faces Scrutiny Over Arms Procurement Scandal

Home Minister Ramesh Lekhak has come under fire for delivering vague and evasive responses during a parliamentary committee meeting regarding a highly controversial arms procurement deal first introduced three years ago.

Despite public backlash and unresolved corruption allegations surrounding the NPR 1.5 billion weapons procurement plan, Minister Lekhak claimed that a new and transparent process would be initiated for both Nepal Police and Armed Police Force (APF), without confirming the cancellation of the previous contract.

The original deal, which was paused after commission-related controversies surfaced, had reached the stage of opening letters of credit (LCs) through Nepal Rastra Bank. While the LC was already issued for the APF, Nepal Police was preparing to open theirs when the process was halted.

Instead of scrapping the old procurement, recent attempts appear to quietly revive the previous agreement, even as authorities publicly insist on transparency and a new process.

Parliament Committee Seeks Answers

During a meeting of the Federalism Strengthening and National Concerns Committee under the National Assembly on Friday, Minister Lekhak, Home Secretary Gokarnamani Duwadi, Nepal Police Chief Deepak Thapa, and APF Chief Raju Aryal were summoned to answer questions regarding national security and the procurement.

Minister Lekhak stated that a budget has been allocated this fiscal year for Nepal Police to procure weapons and that the process would be conducted transparently and in compliance with legal procedures. However, he sidestepped questions about the status of the previous contract.

Lekhak Defends the Need for Arms

Responding to criticisms, Lekhak defended the procurement, likening it to the necessity of providing essential tools to teachers and students. “It would be strange to buy chalk and dusters for the police and weapons for teachers. Police need arms to combat crime,” he said, adding that officers often have to confront armed criminals, particularly in border areas.

This fiscal year, NPR 1.09 billion has been allocated for Nepal Police to purchase arms and security equipment. The APF, however, received no specific budget for weapons.

The government had already amended the Public Procurement Regulations in April 2025 to facilitate arms acquisition.

Old Contracts Still Alive

Despite the appearance of a fresh start, the old contracts remain active. The contract for Nepal Police has been extended until November 2025 (Mangsir 2082), while the APF’s LC has not been canceled, although the allocated funds have reportedly been returned to the government treasury.

Documents show that the original procurement aimed to acquire:

• Nepal Police: 1,000 pistols, 1,550 shotguns, 200,000 shotgun cartridges, 300,000 rubber bullets, 24,000 tear gas shells, and 1.02 million rounds of ammunition.
• Armed Police Force: 2,300 pistols and 2,000 shotguns, backed by LC approvals.

The Nepal Police had prepared to purchase arms worth USD 6.78 million, contracting Minerva Corporation Limited, based in Hong Kong, on July 4, 2022 (20 Asar 2079). The deal was facilitated through Infinity Holdings, owned by Deepak Bhatt, with procurement done via agents registered under employees of Infinity.

Approximately USD 6.7 million worth of arms for the police and USD 3.8 million for the APF were linked to this controversial deal.

Due to rising concerns over commission scandals and foreign currency shortages, the Council of Ministers decided to halt the procurement on July 24, 2022 (9 Shrawan 2079). The deal had sparked protests in parliament, media, and the streets.

Although the procurement was never finalized, both contracts were left technically valid.

Officials Deny Procurement is Being Revived

In the committee meeting, Nepal Police Chief Thapa denied claims that the procurement deal was being revived. He emphasized that no such instructions had come from either the Home Minister or Home Secretary. However, internal records show the original contract has been extended multiple times.

APF Chief Aryal clarified that no budget had been allocated for their arms this fiscal year and assured the committee that all procurements would follow the legal framework. He also stressed the importance of infrastructure development for security forces, citing serious shortages in uniforms and basic rations. “Kathmandu’s daily ration rate is NPR 203, which must cover all meals. Last year, we received only NPR 611.8 million, far short of the NPR 3 billion required annually for uniforms alone,” he said.

Procurement Watchdog Refuses to Endorse Old Deal

After being pressured to move forward with the old contract, the APF sought clarification from the Public Procurement Monitoring Office but received no endorsement. As a result, APF has concluded it cannot proceed under the previous process.

Despite these developments, Minister Lekhak reiterated in Friday’s meeting that arms for both security agencies would be purchased within this year’s budget—leaving lawmakers and the public questioning whether the government is truly committed to transparency or simply reviving a tainted deal under a new label.