Two more arrested over ‘fake rescue’ scam

By A Staff Reporter,Kathmandu, Feb. 26: Two more individuals have been arrested in connection with a so-called ‘fake rescue’ scam in Nepal’s mountaineering sector.

The Nepal Police’s Central Investigation Bureau (CIB) confirmed the arrest of 28-year-old Sandeep Tiwari, a representative of Royal Holidays Adventure and Travel Company based in Thamel, and 56-year-old Rajendra Bahadur Singh, former vice-chairman of the Air Service Operators’ Association.

Singh, a resident of Kathmandu Metropolitan City-31, was arrested on Wednesday, while Tiwari, who hails from Jwalamukhi Rural Municipality-2 in Dhading, was detained on Tuesday.

According to CIB Spokesperson Shiva Kumar Shrestha, a total of nine individuals have so far been arrested in connection with the case. 

Those detained include individuals associated with trekking companies, rescue firms, hospitals, Nepal-based staff of foreign insurance companies, and shareholder-operators of helicopter companies.

Preliminary investigations have revealed that the accused allegedly claimed insurance payments by falsely reporting the rescue of foreign trekkers said to have suffered health problems during high-altitude expeditions, thereby obtaining unlawful financial benefits.

On 25 January, CIB received information that foreign mountaineers visiting Nepal were allegedly being defrauded in an organised scheme to claim insurance payouts. At the time, the CIB arrested six individuals in connection with the case.

The suspects have been accused of falsely declaring tourists ill, arranging helicopter evacuations and hospital admissions, and subsequently filing insurance claims.

Police had arrested Jayaram Rimal, operator of Mountain Rescue Service Pvt Ltd; manager Bibek Pandey; Rabindra Adhikari, operator of Nepal Chartered Service; operations manager Bibek Raj Thapaliya; Mukti Pandey, operator of Everest Experience and Associates Pvt. Ltd.; and manager Subash KC.

According to the CIB, the Ministry of Tourism had formed a task force in 2018 to investigate similar allegations. The study report was also handed over to the police.

More recently, in mid-October, 2025, the CIB received complaints alleging that fake rescue operations were still taking place. Following the tip-off, police initiated a fresh investigation.

During the probe, investigators found that out of 1,248 rescues conducted by Mountain Rescue Service, 171 were identified as fraudulent. Similarly, 75 out of 471 rescues carried out by Nepal Chartered Service were deemed suspicious. Of the 601 rescues conducted by Everest Experience and Associates, 71 were found to be suspicious.

Police said the companies had filed insurance claims amounting to 19.69 million US dollars (approximately Rs. 2.87 billion) through the alleged scheme.