KATHMANDU: The Patan Appellate Court today remanded a man in judicial custody for fleecing Rs 30 million from an Azerbaijani citizen.

The court was hearing the forgery case as per the Banking Offence Act.

Deputy Superintendent of Police Lal Mani Acharya, in-charge of the Prosecution Section at the Metropolitan Police Range, said Bishnu Ghimire, alias ‘Dhruba’, hailing from Biratnagar in Morang, was found guilty of duping his business partner and committing a “banking offence.”

Dhruba and Govinda Ghimire (the accused’s brother) used to run the Shila Trading Company, a dealer in SIM cards and recharge vouchers of the former Mero Mobile company in the capital, in association with Azerbaijani citizen Bhugar Musayab.

Last month, Dhruba had added two zeros at the end of Rs 216,000 on a bank cheque, which Musayab had handed over to him for encashment. The cheque was signed by Musayab.

The company had been registered in Govinda’s name as a foreign citizen is not allowed to own business enterprises in the country.

“However, Dhruba took advantage of the foreigner’s innocence and betrayed his trust,” said DSP Acharya. “The court will order him to pay Rs 30 million, including penalty. He has pleaded guilty,” he said. Musayab was also a bank guarantee of Rs 12 million to Spice Nepal for the company through an international bank. “Dhruba said he fleeced his partner after he refused to invest in real state on his request,” Acharya said.