Kathmandu, July 3:

Police this morning took into custody the embattled chairperson of the Saroj Koirala Memorial Trust (SKMT), Sabina Koirala, and her husband Amije Khawaja.

The police later sought permission from the Kathmandu District Administration Office (DAO) to keep the couple in custody for 15 days.

The Metropolitan Police Range, Kathmandu, is preparing to file a public offence case against Sabina — who is also a relative of Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala — though she has been accused of pocketing over Rs 4 crore while promising people jobs in Japan.

Police, however, said they had taken the couple into custody for “their own security” as not a single victim has filed a formal complaint against her so far. SP Dhak Bahadur Karki said the police office is preparing to file a public offence case against Sabina at the DAO on the basis of a police report.

Santosh Das, one of the victims, said they didn’t lodge a complaint with the police as they did not want the case to be delayed. “If we file a complaint, the case will go to the court which in turn may grant her bail. Instead of getting back our money, we would have to go through legal hassles and have to wait for years for a final verdict,” he said. A total of 109 persons have accused Sabina of duping them of over Rs 4 crore.