Nepal’s Finance Ministry Rejects EV Customs Allegations as Probe Widens
The Finance Ministry has pushed back against claims linking Dr. Swarnim Wagle to a controversial EV customs clearance case, saying a formal investigation is underway and nine officials have already been relieved of duty.
The Ministry of Finance has firmly rejected allegations that Finance Minister Dr. Swarnim Wagle was linked to the controversial customs clearance of electric vehicles at Rasuwagadhi. In its clarification, the ministry said the matter is already being reviewed by an investigation committee and that the claims circulating in public are not supported by the facts.
The dispute centers on the clearance of vehicles before the budget announcement, a timeline that has drawn scrutiny over whether procedures were followed properly. According to the ministry, the case is being handled through an official probe, not political inference.
In a significant administrative move, nine officials, including the chief of Rasuwagadhi Customs, have been relieved of their responsibilities while the inquiry continues. That step suggests the government is treating the case as a serious internal compliance issue rather than a simple media controversy.
The ministry’s statement also appears aimed at separating the finance minister from operational decisions at the customs office. By emphasizing the role of the investigation committee, the government is signaling that any judgment should wait for the probe’s findings.
The case has quickly become more than a customs dispute. It has turned into a test of public trust, transparency, and accountability at a moment when Nepal’s finance and revenue institutions are already under pressure to demonstrate clean governance.
Electric vehicles have become an increasingly visible part of Nepal’s transport transition, which makes customs procedures around EV imports politically sensitive as well as financially important. Any allegation of preferential treatment or procedural bypassing can therefore trigger wider debate about oversight and institutional discipline.
For now, the ministry is drawing a clear line: the allegations against Dr. Wagle are being denied, the investigation is ongoing, and the disciplinary response at Rasuwagadhi Customs suggests the government wants the facts to come from the inquiry rather than speculation.