Nepal Television Procurement Probe Uncovers Deep Irregularities, Flags Rs 206M Loss

A government investigation into Nepal Television’s procurement practices has uncovered a trail of alleged legal violations, financial irregularities, and weak financial controls spanning multiple years. The committee has handed its report to Minister for Information and Communication Dr. Bikram Timilsina and recommended further legal and administrative action, including possible referral to the Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority.

What the report says

According to the findings, the broadcaster’s procurement of digital transmitters, audio-visual systems, online platforms, and satellite bandwidth rental involved repeated rule violations and serious lapses in process. The committee says the organization ignored procurement law, extended contracts without open competition, made payments before services were delivered, and overpaid after services were already in operation.

The report estimates losses of around Rs 206.1 million from the satellite bandwidth procurement alone, with some accounts also describing broader losses tied to equipment and service purchases. It further claims that the cost estimates were inflated in ways that led to unnecessary purchases and higher-than-required bandwidth commitments.

Key allegations in the probe

The committee’s findings point to several recurring problems: non-competitive contract extensions, selection of technically ineligible bidders, premature payments, and decisions that appear to have favored long-term suppliers over the broadcaster’s interests. It also says senior management and board-level decisions played a role in enabling the disputed agreements.

One of the most serious allegations is that Nepal Television continued and expanded bandwidth purchases even as the satellite in use was nearing the end of its life cycle. The report argues that this created avoidable financial exposure for the public broadcaster.

Why this matters

Nepal Television is a public service broadcaster, which makes procurement discipline especially important. When public institutions bypass competitive processes or weaken oversight, the result is not just accounting damage but a loss of trust in how taxpayer-backed organizations are run.

The case also highlights a broader governance issue: even routine technology spending can become a major liability when contracts are extended carelessly, approvals are weak, and technical procurement is left unchecked. In this case, the alleged failures reportedly stretched across years and multiple decision-making periods.

What happens next

The committee has recommended action against those responsible under existing law, and the ministry has already forwarded the report for further study and possible enforcement. If the case is taken up by anti-corruption authorities, the findings could lead to a deeper investigation into how the contracts were awarded, amended, and paid for over time.

For now, the report adds pressure on Nepal Television and the ministry to explain how such irregularities persisted across successive procurement cycles and what reforms will follow to prevent a repeat.