Kathmandu, October 4
Pandora Papers, reportedly the biggest journalism partnership in history in the world, has exposed as many as 16 traders involved in various businesses in Nepal, claiming they are involved in offshore dealings in tax-haven countries around the world.
The reports of the project led by the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ) were made public across the world on Sunday. In Nepal, the Centre for Investigative Journalism Nepal (CIJ Nepal) and Kantipur had partnered with the ICIJ for the Pandora Papers project to cover Nepal.
The list of Nepali traders involved in unethical secret businesses includes four members of the family of Binod Chaudhary, Nepal’s only Forbes-listed billionaire, besides himself; some members of the Golchha Organisation, an old family conglomerate of Nepal; hotelier Radhe Shyam Saraf and controversial trader Ajeya Raj Sumargi.
The CIJ informs the following 16 Nepali traders, including Nepali citizens and others conducting businesses in Nepal, were involved in offshore dealings as revealed by Pandora Papers:
- Binod Chaudhary, Chaudhary Group
- Sarika Devi Chaudhary, Binod Chaudhary’s wife, Chaudhary Group
- Nirvana Chaudhary, Binod Chaudhary’s son, Chaudhary Group
- Varun Chaudhary, Binod Chaudhary’s son, Chaudhary Group
- Rahul Chaudhary, Binod Chaudhary’s son, Chaudhary Group
- Lok Manya Golchha, Golchha Organisation
- Chandra Kumar Golchha, Golchha Organisation
- Hitesh Golchha, Golchha Organisation
- Ajeya Raj Sumargi
- Arjun Prasad Sharma, Sumargi’s relative
- Kishor Rana
- Rajendra Shakya, Guna Groups
- Suhrid Raj Ghimire, Kia dealer in Nepal,
- Purushottam Paudyal, Ghimire’s business partner
- Sudhir Mittal, Shree Airlines
- Radhe Shyam Saraf, Hotel Yak & Yeti
