Probe On Forgery Case

In course of investigation into a major fraud of sending Nepalis as Bhutanese refugees to the United States of America (USA), the police administration has now intensified its efforts to arrest even influential persons on suspicion of their involvement in the activity. Following the detention of Dr. Indrajit Rai, who had served as a security advisor to the then Minister for Home Affairs Ram Bahadur Thapa 'Badal', the Nepal Police arrested Secretary at the Office of the Vice President Tek Narayan Pandey from Kathmandu on Wednesday. Based on the information divulged by some individuals associated with the illegal racket, Dr. Rai and Pandey have been arrested. Pandey had worked as Home Secretary before being transferred to the Vice President's Office. He is suspected to have collusion with the fraudulent gang and facilitated them to proceed with the documentation of Nepalis as Bhutanese refugees. Keshav Dulal of Morang, Sandesh Sharma of Dang, Sagar Rai of Morang, Tanka Kumar Gurung of Panchthar and Sanu Bhandari of Lalitpur have already been arrested on the same charge. 

Meanwhile, according to sources at the Nepal Police, they have recovered solid evidence which shows that Dr. Rai had received an additional Rs. 10.5 million cash on various dates. Likewise, Sandeep Rayamajhi, who is the son to CPN-UML secretary Top Bahadur Rayamajhi, was also rounded up on Wednesday for his alleged collaboration with the racket. Sandeep, who was arrested from Bhairahawa, has been charged with taking a cheque of Rs. 10 million for helping the racket related to the fake Bhutanese refugees. An arrest warrant has also been issued to Top Bahadur Rayamajhi for carrying out necessary investigation into his involvement in the case. But leader Rayamajhi has been denying the charge. He has claimed that the cheque had not been exchanged from the bank. Police have also expedited their search for Dr. Rai’s son Niraj, and Pratik Thapa, who is the son of CPN-UML leader Ram Bahadur Thapa 'Badal', in the same case.  

As of now, as many as 45 persons have registered their complaints with the police against the gang on charge of deception and more complaints are pouring in. The racket had cheated the victims by issuing fake identity cards to them in the name of sending them to the USA as Bhutanese refugees. The police records have shown that the victims had lodged a complaint with the police for the first time on June 1, 2022. But the accused seem to have made every effort possible to prevent themselves from being detained. They had said that even top-level politicians and bureaucrats had also been involved in the case. The police personnel involved in the probe have continued to dig into the clues in order to acquire more facts and information about it. The diary maintained by the arrestees and the statements given by them have revealed that high-level political leaders and bureaucrats have been involved in this fraud. Police investigation conducted so far have shown that the accused have defrauded Rs. 400 million. 

Various political leaders, including Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal Prachanda and Deputy Prime Minister Narayan Kaji Shrestha, have said that the government would leave no stone unturned when it comes to indicting everybody involved in the forgery. All sections of the society must support the government from their respective sides to eliminate dishonest acts like cheating people in the name of foreign employment and resettlement abroad.