Kathmandu, January 5

Police have arrested one of the ‘prime suspects’ for his alleged involvement in the robbery of over Rs 47.3 million from the state-run Agricultural Development Bank Limited last September.

The arrestee has been identified as Deepak Nepal, 43, of Morang’s Rangeli municipality-2.

Police said Nepal was assisting an African called Peter Herman, aka Kale, mastermind behind the robbery, who is still at large.

Kale had hatched a plan to make away with over five billion rupees from the bank and remittance companies, according to police.

Police have so far arrested 19 persons including Nepal for stealing money from Lahan branch of ADBL and two remittance companies in Kathmandu in September 2019.

A special police team deployed by Metropolitan Police Crime Division, Kathmandu, arrested Nepal from his home town last Friday and brought him to Kathmandu. He was produced to the Kathmandu District Court for the first arraignment today.

Police had already identified Nepal to be one of the prime suspects, but was unable to nab him due to lack of evidence.

They had alerted the ADBL about his account, which was credited with Rs 10 million stolen from the bank.

Last Friday, a person had reached Galfutar branch of the ADBL, with a cheque issued by Nepal to withdraw Rs 900,000.

The bank, which was told to inform the police if there were any financial transactions from the account, had alerted the police.

Police then arrested the man, who informed police about the whereabouts of Nepal.