Kathmandu, March 23

Unified CPN-Maoist lawmaker Lharkyal Lama, who was detained by the Department of Foreign Employment on March 21 on charges of swindling foreign job aspirants, was released today after he deposited Rs 3 million bail.

Lama, who faced a case under arms and ammunition law, was released on bail on Monday, but was re-arrested the same day for investigation in connection with a two-year-old fraud case.

Lama was accused of duping youths of Rs 21.9 million promising to send them abroad.

DoFE Spokesperson Janak Regmi said the department decided to release him on bail after questioning him about fraud charges.

He said the department will carry out further investigation to determine whether or not a case of fraud should be filed against him. He said the department needed to gather further evidences.

“We will have to conduct public enquiry and will also have to question eye witnesses to investigate into the allegations of fraud against Lama,” he added.

A case was filed against Lama under arms and ammunition law after 14 bullets were recovered from his locker at Durbar Marg branch of Nepal Investment Bank Pvt Ltd. Kathmandu District Administration Office had released Lama on Rs 66,700 bail.

On March 13, Lama was taken into police custody after the Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority found 14 bullets in his bank locker and handed him over to the Metropolitan Police Range.

The CIAA had recovered the bullets during a search in connection with allegations against him of amassing property disproportionate to his known sources of income.

A foreign employment fraud case was filed against Lama at the DoFE in September 2013 for allegedly swindling unemployed youths of approximately Rs 21.9 million.