Kathmandu, May 25

The Central Investigation Bureau of Nepal Police has arrested as many as 209 persons in connection with their alleged involvement in organised crimes over a period of nine months.

According to statistics released by CIB, 172 of the arrestees are males, 13 females and 24 foreigners. CIB officials informed that 106 separate cases were filed at various district courts against 209 persons. The number of arrestees exceed the total cases as more than one persons were involved in the same crimes.

The cases of frauds, including those of foreign employment and online lottery scams, top the graph with 33 cases in which CIB arrested 58 persons. They comprise 14 foreigners. Similarly, CIB recorded 31 cases relating to human trafficking, 10 forgeries, nine banking offences, seven cybercrimes, four paedophilia, four ancient monuments, two citizenship certificates, two Voice over Internet Protocols, two kidnapping and two smuggling of wildlife body parts.

In one of the biggest banking offences, CIB arrested 21 persons, 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.

The 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.

During the period of nine months, CIB arrested three persons for their alleged involvement in collecting and selling to foreigners a wide range of metal idols of archaeological significance. They were caught in the act of selling an idol for Rs 13.5 million, convincing the customer that it dated back to the 12th or 13th century. Officials confiscated 13 idols of gods and goddess, and Budhha from them. They also allegedly sold artefacts and objects of archaeological importance to the USA-based Rubins Museum.

CIB nabbed Sun Bahadur Tamang, 50, of Dupcheshwor Rural Municipality-1, Nuwakot, who had been absconding after Nuwakot District Court convicted him in a human trafficking case and sentenced him to 37 years and six months in prison, along with a fine of Rs 250,000, on March 21, 2018. Tamang was elected ward chair of the rural municipality on Nepali Congress’ ticket.

According to CIB, it has attached high priority to combat organised crime.