KATHMANDU, AUGUST 14
Eighteen more people have lodged complaints with the police in relation to the fake Bhutanese refugee scam.
Police have received three separate complaints from 18 victims charging forgery worth Rs 18.59 million, the Kathmandu Valley Crime Investigation Office of Nepal Police said.
Prior to this, a total of 115 individuals had lodged their complaints with the police.
Superintendent of Police at the Office Rabindra Regmi said 18 victims from Lamjung, Sunsari, Sindhupalchowk, Gorkha, Lalitpur, Chitwan, and Kathmandu, among other districts, had lodged their complaints stating that Sanu Bhandari and Keshav Dulal, among others, had cheated them promising to send them to the United States as Bhutanese refugees.
Those arrested in this connection are former deputy prime minister Top Bahadur Rayamajhi, former home minister Balkrishna Khand, former home secretary Tek Narayan Pandey, security adviser to former home minister Indrajeet Rai, among others. Similarly, refugee leader Teknath Rijal, Chairperson of Nepal Haj Committee Samsher Miya, former lawmaker Angtawa Sherpa, personal secretary of then home minister, Narendra KC, son of former deputy prime minister Rayamajhi, Sandip Rayamajhi, Keshav Dulal, Sanu Bhandari, Sandesh Sharma, Sagar Rai, Tanka Gurung, Govinda Chaudhary, Ram Sharan KC, among others, were also arrested for their involvement in the scam. Most of them are in police custody for further investigation.
However, Pratik, son of former home minister Ram Bahadur Thapa, and Niraj, son of Indrajeet Rai, have been absconding.
A version of this article appears in the print on August 15, 2023, of The Himalayan Times.
