Kathmandu, Social media accounts created under the name of Prime Minister Sushila Karki on Facebook and X (formerly Twitter) have been found to be fake. The Office of the Prime Minister and Council of Ministers issued an official statement warning the public not to be misled by posts from such accounts.

The office further warned that anyone involved in such illegal activities will be subject to action under prevailing laws.

It has been observed that these fake IDs are being used to deliberately spread confusion. Prime Minister Sushila Karki, who assumed leadership in a difficult political situation under an interim government, has been receiving praise for her cabinet formation and decision-making, with her government garnering widespread public approval.

Due to rapid advancements in information and communication technologies in Nepal since the 1990s, the country has seen a rise in cyber-related crimes. Previously, such offenses were prosecuted under various sections of the Civil Code and other laws. However, since 2006, Nepal has enacted the Electronic Transactions Act to directly address such crimes.

Under this law (from Section 44 to 58), offenses such as unauthorized use of computers, password hacking, illegal credit card use, fake currency transactions, copyright infringement, cybersex crimes, unauthorized software use, and cyber surveillance are punishable. If convicted, fines ranging from NPR 50,000 to 500,000 and imprisonment from 6 months to 5 years may be imposed depending on the severity of the offense, as per court discretion.

While previously only the Kathmandu District Court handled such cases, now all district courts have been granted jurisdiction to take legal action on cybercrime. Complaints can be filed with the local police authorities.

Additionally, under the Criminal Code Act, 2074 (2017) and Civil Code Act, 2074 (2017) of Nepal, several sections penalize actions that cause harm or defamation to others. Taking someone's photo without consent, sharing it on social media, or any action that harms an individual’s reputation is considered a punishable offense under the law.