Govt attorneys complete pleadings on fake refugee case

By A Staff Reporter,Kathmandu, June 7: Government attorneys have completed their pleading on behalf of complainants on fake Bhutanese refugee case at the Kathmandu District Court.  

According to Deepak Dahal, information officer of the District Court of Kathmandu, the government attorneys have completed pleadings on behalf of the prosecutors on Tuesday and now the lawyers on the defendants’ side will start pleading from Wednesday. The defendants’ side lawyers are given six days for pleading.

He said, “The pleading on the side of the government lawyers is over, now the lawyers will start their hearing on the side of the defendants.” The bail hearing is being conducted at a single bench of District Judge Prem Prasad Neupane.

On the last day of hearing, the public prosecutors presented the argument that if the defendants in this case were released on bail, the evidence may be destroyed and the security of the complaint lodgers may be at risk.

Former Deputy Prime Minister Top Bahadur Rayamajhi of CPN-UML, former Home Minister Bal Krishna Khand and 16 others who were arrested for being involved in the case of fake Bhutanese refugees, have been presented before the court for bail hearing. 

It is said that the post-arrest debate will continue till June 14 and then a decision will be taken by the district judge whether or not to allow defendants to post bail and be released from jail for the duration of his or her trial. 

The Kathmandu District Attorney Office filed four cases against 30 people who were arrested, including 18 people who are absconding, on charge of organised crime, fraud, forgery, and crime against the state.