KATHMANDU, JULY 9
Nepal Police has written to Arzu Deuba, a central member of Nepali Congress and wife of former prime minister Sher Bahadur Deuba, saying that the voice in an audio tape matched with Sandesh Sharma, one of the key accused middle men in the fake Bhutanese refugee scam, who is in police custody.
Ealier on May 10, Rana had filed a complaint with the Cyber Bureau of Nepal Police asking it to find out the truth about the video wherein Sharma had claimed that he had provided Rs 20 million to her. The accused Sharma, who was one of the key accused middle men in the scam, also accused former home minister Bal Krishna Khand's wife Manju Khand of receiving Rs 60 million. Former home minister Khand is behind bars for his alleged involvement in the same case.
Nepal Police Spokesperson AIG Kuber Kadayat, who provided the written information to Rana, said the 'speakers identification traits' matched that of Sharma who hails from Dang.
He further said police were unaware about how that video became viral in the social networking site called TikTok as the latter's office at Singha Durbar did not respond to the police request.
Taking to THT, Kadayat said, "Now that the case is sub-judice in the court, police will act further as per thecourt's order."
Currently, 16 people are in jail, including former ministers Top Bahadur Rayamajhi, Khand and high level government officials in connection to the fake Bhutanese refugee scam.
Over 800 Nepalis were duped by the racketeers, which included former ministers, incumbent government employees and middle men, on the pretext of sending people to third countries like the US and Canada by converting them into Bhutanese refugees. At least 120 people had filed complaints with the police after realising that they were duped of millions.
A version of this article appears in the print on July 10, 2023, of The Himalayan Times.
