Key Takeaways:

• Ritesh and Prakash Khatri arrested in Belaka Municipality
• Complaints from around 440 residents over misuse of citizenship photocopies
• 238 accounts opened, including 147 eSewa accounts, with millions transacted
• CIB and Foreign Employment Department join investigation into fund sources

GAIGHAT, AUGUST 21 Police have arrested a father and son in Udayapur after complaints that photocopies of citizens' identity documents were allegedly misused to open eSewa and bank accounts and conduct transactions. The suspects, Ritesh Khatri of Belaka-4 and his father Prakash Khatri, were arrested following complaints from around 440 residents of Belaka-3 and 4. Residents said photocopies of their citizenship certificates submitted to the duo had been misused. Belaka Mayor Ashok Karki said the two had collected citizenship photocopies from nearly 500 local residents and used them to open eSewa accounts and accounts at various banks and financial institutions in the names of the residents. According to Karki, the father and son collected the documents by promising to form consumer committees to secure government grants and involve residents in development projects, as well as by offering employment opportunities. The accounts were allegedly opened using the citizenship photocopies and photographs taken at the time. Residents became aware of the alleged misuse after receiving notifications about transactions in accounts and eSewa accounts they said they had not opened. Karki said an investigation had found that eSewa and bank accounts had been opened in the names of 238 people, including 147 eSewa accounts. Police found transactions worth Rs 8.4 million through the account of a woman from Belaka-3, Rs 4.696 million through the account of a woman from ward 4 and Rs 2.3 million through another woman's account, according to Karki. Following the complaints, teams from the Central Investigation Bureau and the Department of Foreign Employment have also joined the investigation. A police officer said investigators were examining the transaction records and sources of the funds, whether anyone else was involved besides the Khatri father and son, and why tens of millions of rupees were transacted through accounts belonging to other people.