A joint bench of Judges Mohan Raman Bhattarai, Bhupal Prasad Rai and Pavan Kumar Sharma issued an order to send the players back into custody for 17 days counting from October 14, the day of their arrest. "After hearings from the prosecution and the defence, the court found the need to keep the footballers in custody for further investigations," Special Court Registrar Bhadrakali Pokharel said.
As per the investigation file prepared by the Metropolitan Police Crime Division, Metropolitan Police Range Office Kathmandu had filed charges of treason against the five for match-fixing international games. Police filed the treason charges on the argument that the activities of the five not only brought shame to the country but also hurt national unity and dignity.
However, the lawyers for the defense advocated against the police claim and pleaded against their remand. They also argued that there was no legal basis for a charge of treason.
"Special Court's order to remand the players in custody acknowledges the sensitivity of the national-image issue and supports the police investigations into treason," SSP Sarbendra Khanal, chief of Metropolitan Police Crime Division, said.
Five footballers, including national team skipper Sagar Thapa, were arrested for alleged involvement in match fixing during international fixtures, under the financial inducement of bookies. The arrested are three national players --Thapa, Sandeep Rai and Ritesh Thapa -- and two former Nepali internationals - Anjan KC and Bikash Singh Chhetri. Most of them were defenders.
Police had initiated the investigations after being tipped off by a special source on the involvement of the national players in match fixing since the last eight years.
After month-long covert investigations, Anjan and Bikash were taken into custody upon their arrival back in the country. Following initial investigations of these two, police reached the conclusion that Sagar, Ritesh and Sandeep were also involved.
"We have been scanning other stakeholders also and will be disclosing the other investigations soon," SSP Khanal said.
However, the players during their court appearance denied their involvement in any wrongdoing and claimed that they were innocent. Earlier, they had confessed their involvement in match fixing but only in matches that the team was likely to lose anyway.
According to financial details received by police, the match fixers received around Rs 10 million ($ 100,000) for a single match. Most of the amounts involved come from Malaysia via hundi (hawala) and money transfer agencies. A player receives Rs 100,000 to Rs 1 million, depending on his role. Anjan collected most of the amounts in Nepal from the main bookies based in Malaysia and Singapore, police said.
Police have also been connecting the dots in 13 other doubtful matches. They have already verified the involvement of the five in some eight matches. Initial investigations showed that the results of matches against Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Jordan, Malaysia, Iraq, Cameroon, the Philippines and Palestine were fixed.
Related story
Footballers dominate nominees’ list for Sports Award
-1200x560-1779450784.webp)
