Indian minister caught with illegal cash

KATHMANDU, June 30: The government released Imkong L Imchen, the Home Minister of Nagaland state in India, late on Wednesday afternoon after seven hours in detention at Tribhuvan International Airport. He was detained for possessing about IRs 850,000 in 500 and 1,000-rupee denominations, which are banned in Nepal.



Following continuous requests from the government of India and critical discussions among Nepali officials, Imchen was set free at around 4 p.m. and allowed to board a Jet Airways flight to Delhi at 4:20 p.m. Imchen was also allowed to carry the cash back to India, sources said. [break]



Imchen had told the investigating officials at the airport that he was Indian of Nepali-origin and had wanted to visit Nepal since a long time. He had come to Kathmandu a few days ago to attend a wedding.



He was detained during a security check at TIA at around 9:30 a.m. "He appeared to have carried the money through "green channel", not abiding by the procedures required to go through to carry more than the allowed amount," said a senior police officer.



He was said to have pleaded ignorance of the ban on the Indian currency notes in the denominations of IRs 500 and 1,000 in Nepal. "I was not aware of the Nepali law on cash limit," Imchen is said to have told the officials.



Likewise, the cash he was carrying was more than double the amount the government allows a foreigner to possess in person -- US$ 5,000 or equivalent.



As per the law, foreign nationals have to declare their cash to airport officials if they carry more than the allowed amount.



Senior police officials, who requested anonymity as "the government has instructed not to officially make public the case", said that Imchen was released upon an understanding between the two governments.



Jay Mukunda Khanal, spokesman for the Home Ministry, also said he was not officially informed about it.



Meanwhile, Nagaland Chief Secretary told Indian media that Imchen was ignorant of rules and carrying Indian currency notes for his personal use as he was traveling on a holiday with his family.



Chief Secretary Lalthara said it was unfortunate that the minister was ignorant of the ban on the use of Rs 500 and Rs 1000 notes in Nepal – a rule imposed by the government of Nepal on the request of the Indian government, to prevent the smuggling of counterfeit Indian rupees from across the border.

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