Contractor Navinraj Basnet, Linked to Pradeep Adhikari’s Investigation, Departs for Germany with Family

Summary after verification: Contractor Navinraj Basnet, who is connected to the suspended Director General of the Civil Aviation Authority, Pradeep Adhikari, left for Germany with his family on 10 April (27 Chaitra). Adhikari, arrested on corruption charges by the Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA), is also under investigation for money laundering and organized crime. The investigation has revealed efforts to threaten Adhikari, use tantric practices, and establish extremist groups.

Kathmandu, 13 April (30 Chaitra) – Navinraj Basnet, a contractor directly associated with suspended Director General of the Civil Aviation Authority (CAAN) Pradeep Adhikari, has departed abroad together with his family. Basnet left Nepal three days after news broke regarding his connection to Adhikari. The 37-year-old Basnet from Dolakha was residing in a residential area of Bhaktapur and departed from Tribhuvan International Airport on Friday, 10 April (27 Chaitra). According to reliable sources, Basnet traveled to Germany via Qatar Airways flight QR 647. He was accompanied by his wife, Elisa Gautam. Basnet’s name appears 13th on the Qatar Airways passenger list.

On 7 April (24 Chaitra), news was published revealing that Adhikari, with Basnet’s involvement, had tried to manipulate powerful centers to resolve the Samsum case and had issued threats using names of tantrics and underworld dons. After the publication, Basnet denied the allegations, yet he left the country with his family three days later. Investigators consider his departure as further confirmation of the accusations.

The CIAA arrested Adhikari on corruption charges on 2 December (17 Mangsir) and filed cases. On 6 December (21 Mangsir), Adhikari was sent to Dillibazar prison over irregularities in the construction of the Nalinchok heliport in Bhaktapur. Besides the Nalinchok heliport case, two other corruption cases related to Pokhara International Airport have been filed against him.

Adhikari is currently under investigation for money laundering, organized crime, and possession of illegal assets. Navinraj Basnet has also been found to be involved in this investigation. Basnet is known to be close to Adhikari and has been actively trying to appease the CIAA. Three years ago, Basnet secured contracts inside Bhairahawa’s Gautam Buddha International Airport for the taxiway and apron. These contracts were awarded to the Ashish-Kshamadevi-Buddha Himalayan JV group, at which time Basnet was affiliated with the Kshamadevi group.

WhatsApp chats between Adhikari and Basnet reveal clear discussions on influencing the CIAA. Basnet appears to have promised, via Rajesh Bajracharya, to get Adhikari’s corruption cases dismissed. On 23 November 2025 at 11:07 PM, Adhikari messaged Basnet, “Talked with Rajesh dai.” Basnet replied at 11:10 PM, “I am fixing it,” adding later, “I will meet with Bas too. Dai, we are together.” On 25 November at 11:10 PM, Basnet messaged, “I will do it at any pace, dai, don’t worry.”

After failing to settle the case with the CIAA, investigations revealed attempted use of tantric rituals, threats via forming extremist groups, and efforts to force the resignation of CIAA chief Prem Rai. Basnet was found to have sent the letterhead of the extremist group to Adhikari via WhatsApp. Digital Forensic Lab (DFL) reports indicate that the letterhead was distributed from Basnet’s mobile number. The letter, which appeared to have been prepared by Prakash Pathak, threatened to assassinate CIAA head and 10 others. The threat was delivered through a video, and Pathak allegedly received a 20 million NPR contract for this task.

To evade charges through tantric sorcery, Adhikari enlisted help from an Indian tantric baba named Saraya Kinnera (Jai Jagadambe) based at Kamakhya Devi Temple in Guwahati, Assam, India. Adhikari sent a photo of CIAA chief Rai to the tantric practitioner, who performed rituals as shown in videos sent to Adhikari, including destroying an effigy of Rai while chanting mantras.

Basnet, currently absconding, is also implicated in an abduction case dating back to 23 April 2020 (10 Baisakh 2077), when he assisted in bringing former Health Minister and then-MP Surendra Yadav from Mahottari to Kathmandu as part of efforts to split the Socialist Party. Basnet has a history of being linked to criminal activities.