Lalitpur, May 18:

Maoists today caught hold of five persons extorting money in Kathmandu valley in the name of Maoists. They released the five later.

The five nailed by the Maoists were Bir Singh Gurung of Kyamin-7, Tanahun, Bhimsen Gole, Prakash Adhikary, Iswor Adhikary and Ramesh BK of Dolakha district.

Vice-president of the All Nepal Trade Union Federation (ANTUF), Badri Bajagain, said they confiscated a rubber stamp of CPN (Maoist) and a letter pad of the party from Gurung’s rented room at Gongabu.

The Maoists also confiscated a fake pistol, two mobile sets, a khukuri, two small clocks and Rs 12,000 in cash when they raided Gurung’s room this morning.

The cheats were released in the presence of journalists at a press conference and asked to attend the Maoist contact office at Bagbazar tomorrow to return all the money they have extorted in the past.

Immediately after the Maoists freed the five, police from the District Police Office, Lalitpur, held them.