Three cases registered against 30 individuals

By A Staff Reporter,Kathmandu, May 25: The District Government Attorney Office, Kathmandu, has registered a case in the district court of Kathmandu over the case of fake Bhutanese refugees.

The Attorney Office filed a case against 30 individuals, including former Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Energy Top Bahadur Rayamajhi. 

Sixteen persons have been arrested while 14 are still absconding. After filing the case, District Attorney Mahesh Prasad Khatri said, "Cases have been registered against 30 individuals including 16 who had been arrested. In the case of 14 fugitives, the court will issue a term-warrant (myaad purji) letter and their property will be put on hold." 

In the court, now, short statements will be taken from the accused in the preliminary stage of hearing. Then the court will conduct continuous hearing, said Khatri.

In the registered case, crime against the state, organised crime and cheating have been invoked against them. Corruption and money laundering will also be attracted in the case of persons holding public positions.

Sixteen of the arrested include CPN (UML) lawmaker and secretary Top Bahadur Rayamajhi, his son Sandeep, former Home Minister 

Bal Krishna Khand and his aide Narendra KC, former Home Minister Ram Bahadur Thapa Badal's security expert Indrajit Rai, former Home Secretary Tek Narayan Pandey and former Nepali Congress lawmaker Angtawa Sherpa.  

Similarly, Keshav Dulal, Sanu Bhandari, Tanka Gurung, Sagar Rai, Sandesh Sharma, Ram Sharan KC, Govinda Chaudhary, Nepal Hajj Committee Chairman Shamsher Miyan and refugee leader Tek Nath Rizal have been arrested.

Prateek Thapa and Niraj Rai are high-profile among the 14 absconders, while others are ordinary people. Prateek is the son of then Home Minister Ram Bahadur Thapa ‘Badal’. Niraj is the son of Indrajit Rai. Both of them absconded after the arrest warrant was issued. Other absconding accused are Keshav Tuladhar, Ashok Pokharel, Laxmi Maharjan, Dhiren Rai, Mohan Rai, Deepa Humagain, Sunil Budhathoki, Binita Limbu, Niranjan Kharel, Rajesh Aryal, Haribhakta Maharjan, Ashish Budhathoki, Gokul Thapa and Rama Thapa. Among them, Ashok Pokharel was found by the police in America.