Government Forms Judicial Probe Panel into Ganesh Nepali Self-Immolation Case

Kathmandu-The Government of Nepal has formed a judicial inquiry committee to investigate the circumstances surrounding the self-immolation of Ganesh Nepali.

Speaking after Monday’s Cabinet meeting, government spokesperson and Minister for Education and Sports, Sasmita Pokharel, said the Council of Ministers decided to establish the committee under the chairmanship of former High Court judge Keshav Prasad Bastola. She said the decision was taken considering the seriousness of the incident.

Ganesh Nepali died while undergoing treatment after setting himself on fire outside the Department of Passports in Tripureshwor, Kathmandu, on June 25. He had poured petrol over himself before igniting the fire.

The Cabinet also endorsed Prime Minister Balendra Shah’s announcement to fully waive the Education Equity Fee and Health Equity Fee.In another decision, the government approved a 50 percent discount on parking, landing, navigation, and ground handling charges for international scheduled flights operating from Pokhara International Airport and Gautam Buddha International Airport until mid-September 2028 (Bhadra-end 2085 BS).

The meeting further approved an agreement reached on Shrawan 1, 2083 BS between the government committee and victims of predatory lending (meter-byaj), declaring fraudulent loan-related documents issued by loan sharks to be legally invalid.

Additionally, the Cabinet appointed High Court Surkhet Judge Dipendra Adhikari as Chairperson of the Labour Court and designated Shailendra Raj Kunwar as the Administrator of the Guthi Sansthan (Guthi Corporation).