Himalayan News Service

Kathmandu, May 26:

Tourist police today said that one Pravi Pradhan is absconding since the last four days after cheating tourists. According to inspector of Tourism Police, Rajendra Bista, Pradhan fled after palming $1790 from a US citizen Shelley Stark, $300 from Nigerian Ademoza Samuel Oshiba and Rs 12,000 from Emmanuel Smith of South Africa. All the tourists have filed cases at the Tourism Police office at Bhrikuti Mandap and sought their money back. “We have raided Pradhan’s residence but he is at large,” Bista said, adding that police are hunting for him as this is the second time he has committed such a crime. Joint owner of the Hidden High Camp Trekking Pvt Ltd, Kedar Khadka, said he was surprised to know that Pradhan cheated the tourists using the name of his office. “He used to work for us on a commission basis but he deceived even us,” Khadka said. Around a year ago, Pradhan was arrested for gobbling up $5600 belonging to a US citizen and was released after he coughed up the amount. According

to police, he was also engaged in making fake certificates for tourists to claim insurance of various kinds. “We are investigating these crimes,” Bista said, adding that Pradhan who hails from Darjeeling of India, has excellent powers of persuasion.