The Sapkota scandal is not really about Sapkota

The euphoria of March elections seems like a distant past for the ruling RSP, as the government that is barely over its ‘honeymoon period’ is staring at a political nightmare. A string of exposés involving fixers, judges, police officials, political intermediaries and leaked evidence threatens to spill into a wider institutional crisis.

The temptation is obvious: move quickly, make arrests and demonstrate that the new government will not tolerate old ways. However, the controversy has now struck home, with the name of Prime Minister’s political adviser Kumar Byanjankar (Ben) reportedly under scrutiny over the alleged withholding of Inam Sapkota’s phone—an important piece of forensic evidence—from police for approximately 48 hours.

That alone is a criminal offence which, if proved, could tarnish the reputation of Prime Minister Balendra Shah, who has maintained a clean image, despite his controversial and unorthodox governing style.