KATHMANDU, OCTOBER 6

The Department of Money Laundering Investigation filed a case at Special Court against Balaram Sapkota, aka ‘Bale’ also known as ‘Casino King’ on multiple charges.

The chargesheet filed by the department demands cash over Rs 20 million and Rs 40 million in fine from Balaram and his wife, Srijana Kakshyapati with 10 years imprisonment for both. The DoML has also withheld the sale or purchase of his entire property and demanded its confiscation stating that all the property was illegally earned.

The property includes 10 bigha land in Jhapa, five ropani land in Kavre, a house in Kathmandu and a vehicle.

Rup Narayan Bhattarai, DoMLI’s director general said although they had yet to establish the worth of the withheld property it was estimated that the value of the total property stood at around Rs one million.

Sapkota, a ‘gangster’, is accused of holding illegal arms and ammunition, amassing illegal valuables, swindling and money laundering.

He used to provide money for casino customers and at an excessively high interest rate.

If the customers were not able to pay back, he would use his mobs to intimidate, threaten and use force to collect it, said police.

Notorious for operating illegal gambling in Nepal and abroad, 'Bale' was first arrested from an illegally operated gambling den at a private residence in Maharajgunj last year. The DoMLI, however, has not filed any case directly.

The Maharajgunj based police had busted the illegal gambling den where a total of 25 persons were arrested along with Rs 26.7 million in cash and a cheque worth Rs 300,000 .

Police had urged the DoM- LI to investigate the source and legitimacy of the assets and money of those arrested.

After concluding the investigation, the department filed the case against Sapkota, who is at large.

A version of this article appears in e-paper on October 7, 2020, of The Himalayan Times.