Kathmandu: Finance Minister Swarnim Wagle has said the government has no intention of intimidating the private sector through arrests or heavy-handed action, stressing that enforcement will remain evidence-based and measured.
Speaking at an interaction with the Society of Economic Journalists Nepal (SEJON) on Monday, Wagle clarified that only individuals with clear evidence against them, particularly in cases involving financial crimes and money laundering, have been taken into custody. He emphasised that many of these cases had already been under investigation for years and were supported by strong, irrefutable evidence.
“The government is not in favour of handcuffing everyone during investigations,” he said, adding that authorities are open to using financial penalties as an alternative to arrests where appropriate. According to him, some of those recently detained from the private sector are linked to serious financial misconduct, including money laundering.
Wagle also noted that these investigations did not begin under the current administration. Rather, they are the result of long-standing probes that had already established solid grounds for action. “When this government came in, we had two choices—either to shield influential individuals or to proceed in accordance with the law. We chose to follow the law,” he said.
He underscored that the government’s actions are not driven by vendetta or personal targeting. Even in cases of financial wrongdoing, he said, imprisonment is not always necessary, and penalties can be imposed instead. The minister reiterated that the government remains committed to supporting, not discouraging, the private sector.
Comment Here