Kathmandu, May 20

The Central Investigation Bureau of Nepal Police has filed a case of banking fraud against 148 persons allegedly involved in Apex Development Bank scam.

CIB took two months to complete the investigation and submitted its report to the Office of Special Government Attorney, Lalitpur, today.

On March 16, police had arrested 21 people, including staff, board of directors, borrowers, valuators and former chief executive officer Bishnu Prasad Dhital of the erstwhile Apex Development Bank for indulging in unethical loan releases.

According to police, arrests were made after the accused released loans amounting to Rs 1.50 billion through fake loan documents, insufficient collateral and other illegal means from the branches of Apex Development Bank located in Durbar Marg, Lokanthali, Itahari, Surkhet and Nepalgunj. Moreover, the accused are said to have been involved in fake transactions during post-merger integration between Nepal Credit and Commerce Bank and Apex Development Bank. Apex Development Bank and NCC Bank had merged a few months ago.

According to CIB, of the 128 bank scam files related to the case, 33 are from Itahari, seven from Surkhet and 13 from Nepalgunj.

CIB went through 85 files before filing a case based on the findings of those files.

According to police officials, total amount

that was siphoned from Itahari, Surkhet and Nepalgunj branches of the bank is under investigation and it will take time to complete the investigation.

Charges against the accused have been filed as per the Banking Offence and Punishment Act, police said.

According to CIB officials, the alleged masterminds of the fraud, Govinda Upadhyaya and Basanta Malla, are hiding in the United States of America. CIB plans to request the Interpol to issue a diffusion notice against them.

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