A high-ranking official of the DRI told myrepublica.com that all investigations related to misuse of the foreign currency have been completed. "We have completed the necessary investigations and are ready to file cases at District Court Kathmandu on Friday," said the official. DRI has also received a formal endorsement from the Office of Attorney General over the matter, said the official. [break]
The official said that cases will be filed against Narayan Poudel and Padam Bahadur Rawat, who are associated with New Dahal Business Enterprises, and Lal Bahadur Gurung of New Tina Enterprises. The two firms are accused of misusing foreign currency through submission of fake documents to banks.
Similarly, some officials of banks directly engaged in authorizing the transfer of foreign currency to foreign banks will be charged, said the official.
During the investigations, DRI took legal statements from Poudel, who was arrested a month back at Durbar Marg, and other high ranking officials, including the chief executives of the two banks, namely Nepal Investment Bank and Himalayan Bank. However, the other accused, Rawat and Gurung, are still at large.
Similarly, DRI also interrogated officials of the Department of Customs, during which they declined to own responsibility, claiming that the documents submitted and signatures therein were fake.
DRI likewise corresponded with Nepal Rastra Bank, inquiring about its control and supervision methodologies for foreign currency management.
DRI investigations reckon that there has so far been siphoning off of around US$ 58 million to seven Hong Kong-based banks including Agriculture Bank of China, Bank of China, Bank of India, China Merchant Bank, HSBC, Industrial and Commercial Bank of China, Shenzhen Development Bank, Bank of Ningbo and Hang Seng Bank Limited.
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