KATHMANDU, Jan 26: Nepal Police’s Central Investigation Bureau (CIB) has arrested six individuals for allegedly preparing fake tourist rescue documents to defraud insurance companies, but its failure to investigate several companies previously flagged by a government task force has raised serious questions about the credibility and completeness of the probe.
The arrests were made public during a press conference on Sunday. Those taken into custody include Mountain Rescue operator and chairperson Jayaram Rimal and manager Bibek Pandey; Nepal Charter Service operator and chairperson Rabindra Adhikari, along with operations manager Bibek Raj Thapaliya; and Everest Experience and Assist operator and managing director Mukti Pandey, along with Subash KC, according to CIB Chief AIG Manoj KC.
However, concerns have emerged over whether the CIB has effectively shielded at least 17 companies that were earlier recommended for action by a high-level government investigation.
In 2075 BS, the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation (MoCTCA) formed a study task force under the coordination of then Joint Secretary Ghanshyam Upadhyay to investigate large-scale fraud in tourist rescue operations. The task force report revealed that several hospitals—including Bayodha Hospital (Balkhu), Grande International Hospital (Dhapasi), Norvic International Hospital (Thapathali), Era Health Center (Sorhakhutte), Swacon Hospital Pvt Ltd (Battisputali), and Ciwec Hospital Pvt Ltd (Kapurdhara)—had issued bills in violation of medical ethics. The report urged the Ministry of Health and Population to conduct further investigation and monitoring.
The task force also identified helicopter companies such as Air Dynasty, Heli Service, Manang Air, and Heli Everest as being involved in fraudulent practices.
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In trekking, tour, and rescue operations, companies named in the report included Easy Heli Charter Service, Flight Connection Domestic, Mountain Rescue Service, Himalayan Social Journey Trekking, Alpine Rescue, Kailash Charter Rescue, Mountain Heli Charter, and Eagle Heli Charter Service. Despite this, the CIB investigation appears to have focused largely on the Mountain Rescue Service alone.
According to AIG KC, Mountain Rescue Service Pvt Ltd conducted fake rescues involving 171 of 1,248 tourists and claimed more than USD 100 million in insurance payouts. Nepal Charter Service Pvt Ltd carried out 471 rescues, 75 of which were fake, claiming USD 8.2 million. Everest Experience and Assistance Pvt Ltd conducted fake rescues for 71 out of 601 tourists, claiming USD 1.153 million—mostly from Lukla, he said. In total, the CIB reviewed more than 2,000 rescue cases.
Despite a detailed 700-page report submitted by the Upadhyay-led task force recommending action against widespread fraud in trekking and mountaineering rescues, the findings appear to have been largely ignored, leaving the CIB’s investigation incomplete. While the bureau has repeatedly named “Travel Assist” as an accused party, it has not clarified who was defrauded or who filed the original complaint. Travel Assist’s operator, Danny Kahn—also accused in a sexual misconduct case—has been listed among those accused of fraud.
Although the task force submitted its recommendations to the Office of the Prime Minister, the Ministry of Home Affairs, and other agencies, no action was taken against many of those implicated. The task force included senior officials from the Department of Tourism, Nepal Police, the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN), and the Inland Revenue Department.
Business operators have criticized the investigation, saying it is unfair to target a handful of companies while leaving others untouched.
Seven Summit Treks operator Mingma Sherpa is currently contesting elections from Sankhuwasabha under the Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP). Easy Heli is operated by Swiss Lakpa Sherpa, who is reportedly protected due to close ties with senior police officials. Industry insiders also argue that insurance claims cannot be processed without official banking channels and tourists’ consent, making it premature to label the rescues as fake before judicial scrutiny.
Concerns have also been raised over the alleged misuse of police power. No individual tourist has filed a complaint claiming they were subjected to a fake rescue. There are growing suspicions that the investigation is being influenced by business rivalries, further harming Nepal’s already struggling tourism industry. Critics also allege that actions are being taken without proper consultation with subject-matter experts.
The task force report further stated that some agencies deliberately made tourists sick by serving contaminated food and later conducted fake helicopter rescues in collusion with hospitals and helicopter companies, extracting millions of rupees from foreign insurance companies over the years.
The MoCTCA had instructed the Metropolitan Police Commissioner’s Office of Nepal Police, the Department of Revenue Investigation, the CIB, and CAAN to take action within their respective jurisdictions. Ministry sources said three helicopter companies in Kathmandu, six hospitals, and eight travel and trekking companies were recommended for action for producing fake patients and bills.
The report also found that helicopter companies charged inflated service fees, issued false bills, transported multiple tourists on a single flight while issuing separate bills, and claimed insurance payouts without providing treatment by preparing fake documents.
“Apart from those named in the report, other companies also carried out rescue operations, yet there appears to have been no investigation into them,” a business operator said.
