Nepal’s Home Ministry has appointed Armed Police Force (APF) Additional Inspector General (AIG) Anjanikumar Pokharel to investigate suspended AIG Banshiraj Dahal over allegations of leaking sensitive information. AIG Pokharel, who heads the Human Resources Department at the APF Headquarters in Halchowk, Kathmandu, has been given three days to submit his report.
The Home Ministry, which oversees the APF, tasked AIG Pokharel with the investigation, making him the sole member of the probe committee. He is mandated to conduct the inquiry under specific sections of the Armed Police Force Regulations, 2072 (BS).
Background to the Suspension
Dahal was suspended by the Home Ministry on Monday, October 5, 2026, for allegedly acting against the code of conduct for civil and police employees. Home Ministry spokesperson Anand Kafle issued a statement confirming the suspension. Home Minister Sudhan Gurung has warned that anyone found misusing state secrets will be brought to justice.
The allegations against Dahal include an unauthorized meeting with former Chief Justice Cholendra Shumsher Jabara at the Kathmandu Valley Crime Investigation Office in Teku when Jabara was under arrest. Investigations by the police’s special bureau also revealed Dahal’s connection with Inam Sapkota, a middleman from Jhapa. It is alleged that Dahal shared sensitive information with former Chief Justice Jabara through Sapkota.
The Armed Police Force had recommended action against Dahal to the Home Ministry, citing his breach of official conduct by leaking security-related sensitive information.
Imminent Retirement and Uncertainty
The suspension comes just days before Dahal’s mandatory retirement. He was serving as the head of the APF’s Border Department and was set to retire at midnight on October 14, 2026, if his term was not extended. Under the Armed Police Force Regulations, 2072 (BS), an AIG’s tenure is four years. Dahal was promoted to AIG on Baisakh 28, 2079 (BS).
While the regulations allow for a one-year extension upon the recommendation of the Armed Police Force Inspector General Narayan Datt Paudel and approval by the Nepal government, his suspension has cast uncertainty over the recommendation for his extension.
What Happens Next
Upon submission of AIG Pokharel’s report within the stipulated three days, further disciplinary action against Dahal is expected to proceed, according to the Home Ministry. The detailed nature of the ‘sensitive information’ allegedly leaked by Dahal has not been publicly disclosed by the Home Ministry. Furthermore, the nationality of Inam Sapkota, the middleman from Jhapa, remains unknown, and the reasons for his release after a day in police custody are unclear. The full details and purpose of Dahal’s meeting with former Chief Justice Jabara at Teku are also not yet fully transparent.
This development follows the earlier suspension of AIG Dahal, which was reported by NM Khabar English. You can read our previous coverage here: Armed Police AIG Banshiraj Dahal suspended over sensitive information leak allegations.
