Police investigations showed that the racketeers chose Nepal as transit after diplomatic bitterness between Pakistan and Bangladesh led to tightening of restrictions along the border between the two countries. The mastermind of the racket, who is suspected to be an Indian national, chose Nepal as transit because traveling through the two countries has become difficult following the diplomatic tussle."The racketeers had first planned to smuggle counterfeit currencies via Bangladesh but later chose Nepal as it allowed relatively safer passage," said the DIG Bam Bahadur Bhandari of Special Bureau of Nepal Police.
The Pakistani national travelled to Doha, Qatar from Karachi, Pakistan before arriving in Nepal with the counterfeit currencies hidden in the false bottom of two big suitcases. The Pakistani national identified as Muhammad Nadeem, 56, had entered Nepal with a 15-day tourist entry visa, issued on March 16 via the TIA.
The Nepali nationals arrested in connection to the crime are Umadevi Pandey, 55, from Harnamadi of Makawanpur, Mahadev Timilsina, 56, from Simara of Bara, Dil Bahadur Thapa, 40, from Maisthan, of Mahottari, Paramananda Yadav, 58, of Bhauratar of Parsa and Ishwar Prasad Sah Teli from Ganjabhawanpipur of Bara.
Police has yet to arrest the absconding Indian, who masterminded smuggling of counterfeit currencies, AIG Pratap Singh Thapa, Metropolitan Police Commissioner said during press meet. Police had arrested Nadim, Timilsina, Pandey and Thapa on Monday and Yadav and Sah were arrested on Wednesday.
As per the plan, Nadeem was to handover the contraband to Pandey, who was to pass it on to Timilsina. The money was to reach India through Dil Bahadur, AIG Thapa said, adding that Yadav and Teli had been asked to float the money on the Nepali markets.
Police said that Nedeem had been promised USD 500, whereas the payment for the other varied as per the responsibilities.
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