KATHMANDU, DECEMBER 30

The Central Investigation Bureau of Nepal Police has arrested a person nearly 12 years after his involvement in a kidnapping-for-ransom case.

Superintendent of Police Bel Bahadur Pandey, CIB spokesperson, said Durga Bahadur Budhathoki aka soley/Kumar, 28, of Hariwan Municipality, Sarlahi, was held from Pashupatinagar, Ilam, near the Nepal-India border yesterday.

Budhathoki, Pralhad Mahat, Bishnu GC, Bikash Karki, Tashi Gurung, Binod Karki and Anil Gurung had kidnapped Baburaja Rawal, the proprietor of Valley Cold Store, on December 16, 2008. They drove the victim to Tokha. Rawal was released the next day after he reportedly paid Rs 15 million in ransom. With the arrest of Budhathoki, the number of persons taken into custody in connection with the abduction has reached six. Five of them are serving time in jail. One is said to be at large.

Though Budhathoki was arrested for lifting a motorcycle before the kidnapping took place, he had managed to escape from the custody of Baneshwor-based Metropolitan Police circle on May 8, 2007 by breaking the iron grill. After escaping from police custody, he joined a kidnapping-for-ransom racket led by Amar Tandan and Udaya Shetty and got involved in the abduction of Rawal. Tandan and Shetty are serving jail sentence.

SP Pandey said Budhathoki was running a fancy store in the name of ‘Prakash Stores’ in Darjeeling, India, to cover up the crime and escape arrest.

Meanwhile, he has been handed over to Metropolitan Police Range, Teku for legal action.