Fake refugee scandal: Know the names of 16 people arrested so far

Nepal Views

Kathmandu: Police have arrested 16 people so far in connection with the fake Bhutanese refugee scandal.

With the arrest of Bhutanese refugee leader Teknath Rijal, the number of detainees has reached 16. Police arrested Rijal on Thursday along with Nepal Hajj Committee chief Shamsher Miya.

Rijal was arrested from Tribhuvan International Airport when he was arriving from Jhapa to Kathmandu. While Miya was arrested from the Ministry of Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation at Singha Durbar, according to Kathmandu’s Superintendent of Police Sitaram Rijal.

Those arrested so far include former deputy prime minister and the current secretary of main opposition party as well as the ex-home minister and influential leader of main ruling party. Pratik Thapa, the son of former home minister Ram Bahadur Thapa ‘Badal’, is on the run after an arrest warrant was issued against him.

Police have been thoroughly investigating the scandal, following the complaints that Nepali citizens were duped on the pretext of sending them to the US as Bhutanese refugees.

On completion of the investigation, the police will submit its report to the public prosecutor’s office. After that, the public prosecutor’s office will study the police report and proceed with due process.

Namelist of the arrested:

1. Top Bahadur Rayamajhi – former deputy prime minister and UML secretary

2. Bal Krishna Khand – Former Home Minister and leader of Nepali congress

3. Tek Narayan Pandey – Current Secretary (then home secretary)

4. Indrajit Rai – Security advisor to the then home minister Badal

5. Angtawa Sherpa – former lawmaker

6. Shamsher Miya – Chairman of Nepal Haj Committee

7. Teknath Rijal – Bhutanese refugee leader

8. Sandeep Rayamajhi – Son of Top Bahadur Rayamajhi

9. Narendra KC – Then personal assistant (PA) of home minister Khand

10. Ram Sharan KC – Intermediary

11. Govind Chaudhary – Intermediary