He was called in Kathmandu under the pretext of fulfilling some procedures to formally join the police force.But, like other 10 other innocent job seekers in Nepal Police, the joy of Gurung was short lived he soon realized that he was duped by the man he trusted.
Gurung, who had already made failed attempts to join Nepal Army and had been preparing for jobs abroad as a migrant worker, happened to meet Mahatara in Gumba Chauki of Manamaiju in Kathmandu through some connections of his friend.
Mahatara, 34, originally from Purkot-5 of Kalikot district, had lured youths from different villages of Gorkha district and collected over Rs 2.76 million from 11 youths in the past few months. Mahatara, married to a local woman of Gorkha, easily convinced the youths of arranging fast-track admission to the posts of inspector and assistance sub-inspector of the Nepal Police. Mahantara, with the help of his accomplices, had misused the names of DIGs Kamal Singh Bam and Jaya Bahadur Chand for issuing fake letters.
Like Gurung, other youths, too handed Rs 700,000 and Rs 500,000 for the post of inspector and ASI respectively.
Mahatara collected documents and cash from the youths with the support of Bikash Gurung, 40, of Gorkha district. Bikash Gurung collected the jobless and unsuspecting youths from villages and made appointments with the fake high-level police officials. They called the youths one by one near the gate of the National Investigation Department (NID) located at the southern gate of Singha Durbar.
Bir Bahadur Gurung, 29, another victim of Gorkha said, "When I shared my happiness with two relatives who are serving in the force, they asked me to verify the news with DIG Bam. But I was utterly disappointed after learning from DIG Bam that I had been duped."
The other fraudster was Netra Bahadur Shahi, 26, of Kalikot, who participated in various phases of selection of the duped youths.
"We have arrested the three involved in the organized crime and will take action accordingly," SSP Sarbendra Khanal, chief of the Metropolitan Police Crime Division, said. The division has also discovered a fake letter issued under the name of DIG Chand that stated 46 youths had been selected for various posts in the Nepal Police with some names in the waiting list.
"We never thought such a gentle and soft spoken man would dupe youths like us," the victims unanimously said.
The arrested have been sent to the Metropolitan Police Range Office, Teku for further interrogation.
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