Kathmandu, March 21

Unified CPN-Maoist lawmaker Lharkyal Lama, who was released on bail today after spending seven days in police custody, was re-arrested for investigation into an old fraud case.

Superintended of Police at the Metropolitan Police Range, Kathmandu, Pradhyumna Karki said Lama was handed over to Department of Foreign Employment for investigation into a two-year-old fraud case.

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

Karki, who is also the spokesperson for the MPR, said it was up to the DoFE to decide whether to keep him under detention for further investigation or not.

“We detained him after DoFE requested for his detention, as they could not complete investigations against him today and tomorrow is a holiday,” Karki said.

Earlier, Kathmandu District Administration Office released Lama on bail after he deposited Rs 66,700 for his release.

On March 13, Lama was taken into police custody after the Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority found 14 bullets in his locker in Nepal Investment Bank Limited, Durbar Marg, and handed him over to MPR.

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.

The District Administration Office, Kathmandu, had remanded him to five-day judicial custody from the date of his arrest for investigation into arms and ammunition case under the Some Nepal Laws (Amendment and Rearrangement) Act.

On March 18, MPR, Kathmandu, produced him before the DAO, which extended his remand for three more days.

During interrogation, Lama denied that the bullets recovered from his locker were his.

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.