KATHMANDU, June 16 : The hearing in the high-profile fake Bhutanese refugee case has been deferred once again, with the next session scheduled for Wednesday.
The case, being heard at the Kathmandu District Court under Judge Tej Bahadur Khadka, could not be concluded due to the need for additional time for document review and legal arguments.
Court officials said a large number of lawyers have registered to present arguments, prompting the court to coordinate with legal practitioners to manage and streamline the hearing process.
Judge Neupane’s bench to hear fake Bhutanese refugee case
The case involves allegations that Nepali citizens were fraudulently promised resettlement as Bhutanese refugees in countries including the United States in exchange for large sums of money.
A total of 30 individuals have been charged in the case under offences including forgery, fraud, organised crime, and crimes against the state.
Among the accused are former Deputy Prime Minister Top Bahadur Rayamajhi, former Home Minister Bal Krishna Khand, and then Home Secretary Tek Narayan Pandey, along with other high-ranking officials and intermediaries.
Some accused are in custody, some are out on bail, while others remain absconding.
The case, which had seen delays for nearly two years, has recently entered the hearings process and is regarded as one of Nepal’s high-profile fraud cases.
