Kathmandu, Nepal — December 16, 2025 — WorldLink, Nepal’s largest fixed broadband internet provider, has been accused of evading taxes across multiple categories. Government investigators say the company failed to pay required royalties and fees, and also underreported income tied to those charges.
According to the Department of Revenue Investigation, WorldLink avoided more than 3 billion Nepalese rupees in taxes. The department’s report followed a long review of the company’s accounts. Officials found that WorldLink claimed exemptions beyond what the law allows, using maintenance fees collected from customers to reduce its liability.
Under Nepal’s Telecommunications Act, service providers must pay 4 percent of annual income as a royalty and 2 percent into the Rural Telecommunications Fund. The law excludes half of maintenance fees from telecom charges, but investigators say WorldLink applied the exemption to more than 50 percent of its revenue.
The company also paid less in income tax and value‑added tax than required. After the Supreme Court ruled that rural telecom fees and royalties must be paid, the Nepal Telecommunications Authority asked the revenue department to investigate. That inquiry concluded that WorldLink evaded more than 7 billion rupees in taxes and penalties combined.
Prosecutors in Lalitpur are preparing to file charges. Sources say the Attorney General’s Office will decide the final steps after reviewing the department’s findings.
Officials noted that maintenance fees make up about 40 percent of revenue for internet providers. Customers see the charge listed separately on monthly bills. By misclassifying this income, investigators say WorldLink avoided not only royalties but also service fees, income tax, and VAT.
The case also includes questions about foreign currency transactions. That part of the investigation remains open, but officials say progress is slow because it requires cooperation from other countries.
