KATHMANDU-
Sandesh Aryal, the leader of the hacker group “Nepali for Nepal,” which has been responsible for a series of cyberattacks on various government websites, has announced his “surrender.”
In a press statement issued via the social media platform Telegram on Wednesday, Aryal disclosed his identity and admitted to carrying out the cyberattacks. He claimed that he was incited to launch these attacks by controversial medical entrepreneur Durga Prasai.
The Connection to Durga Prasai
Aryal revealed that he came into contact with Suraj Khadka, who works at Durga Prasai’s secretariat, during the protests on November 23 (Mangsir 7). “After getting acquainted during the movement, we started attacking government websites under the support and incitement of that group,” Aryal stated. He added that he decided to come forward because he could no longer tolerate being portrayed solely as a “criminal” without the public knowing the full context.
Claims of Massive Access and Data Security
In a conversation with TechPana, Aryal claimed that his group still holds unauthorized access to more than 10,000 government domains and sub-domains. However, he maintained that they did not intend to harm the country.
“We have not sold a single piece of data anywhere. No action has been taken by us that would harm Nepal or its citizens,” he claimed. Regarding the reported deletion of files from the Department of National ID and Vital Registration, he clarified that the files were only “seal-held” temporarily and were later restored. “If we had intended to cause damage, the destruction could have been far greater,” he added.
Ready to Face Legal Consequences
Aryal admitted that unauthorized access to government systems is a crime and expressed his readiness to face punishment under the Constitution of Nepal. He decided to take this step following the arrest of his group member, Bikas Paudel.
“I have already surrendered through my statement. I have provided my identity, contact number, and location to the Cyber Bureau. I am ready to appear whenever they call me,” Aryal said. He further mentioned that he expects to be at the Cyber Bureau within the next 12 to 24 hours.
Future Intentions: Strengthening Cyber Security
Aryal, who claims to be a businessman in Kathmandu, stated that he wants to move forward positively after completing the legal process.
“Nepal’s cyber security is extremely weak. I am ready to undergo the punishment and pay the fines. But after that, I want to work with the government to help make this sector secure,” he said.
Denial of ‘Pro-Monarchy’ Label
While some media outlets previously labeled the group as “Pro-Monarchy Hackers,” Aryal refuted these claims. He asserted that he believes in democracy and that the attacks were carried out under that belief, despite being incited by those associated with the pro-monarchy movement.
“We were perhaps called pro-monarchy hackers because we attacked under the incitement of Durga Prasai’s group,” he explained. “But we believe in a civil democracy. We are not pro-monarchy hackers.”
The Cyber Bureau of the Nepal Police is expected to take him into custody soon for further investigation into the series of breaches that have plagued government digital infrastructure over the past months.
