KATHMANDU, Sept 7: Singapore-based International Criminal Police Organization (Interpol)’s National Central Bureau (NCB) has enquired its Nepali counterpart about the whereabouts and activities of three Nepali individuals including Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Hem Bahadur Shahi in connection with suspected links to terrorism-related groups and terrorism-financing activities. DSP Shahi is the same police officer who faced departmental action in 2019 following the conviction that he demanded goats as bribe from the members of the Nepali Congress’ youth wing, Tarun Dal, in Kohalpur.
The Singaporean NCB suspects that DSP Shahi has connections with the duo Mahendra Jung Shah, 41, and Dipendra Bahadur Shah, 34, both permanent residents of Kalikot district. Currently residing in Malaysia, Mahendra Jung has been primarily linked with terrorism-related groups and terrorism-financing activities. Eight years ago, he was deported back to Nepal from Malaysia for attempting to enter the country with a fake visa he procured for Rs 300,000.
Following the letter from the Singapore’s NCB to the Nepal Police on July 24 requesting information about the trio, the police headquarters conducted an investigation into the matter. According to the spokesperson for Nepal Police Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Dan Bahadur Karki, all the relevant details of Shahi have been sent to the Interpol.
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“Nepal Police considered the case as a routine background check under the safer world program of the Interpol,” he told Republica, “We conducted a preliminary internal investigation on DSP Shahi and shared the results with NCB Singapore.” He added that the police headquarters is operating a further extensive investigation on DSP Shahi.
DIG Karki also confirmed that DSP Shahi is the same officer who, while stationed as chief of the Area Police Office, Kohalpur, came into the limelight in 2019 for demanding goats as bribe from the members of Tarun Dal. “DSP Shahi was involved in the unethical practice and therefore faced departmental action,” he told Republica, “However, the two incidents should not be connected as he was convicted of bribery but there is no evidence of his involvement in terrorism.” He was reluctant to share whether the goat-bribe incident had been mentioned in Nepal Police’s report to Singapore-based NCB.
According to an official from Nepal-based NCB, Mahendra Jung and DSP Shahi were denied entry to Singapore in June.
“On June 14, Dipendra Bahadur went on a ten-day package tour to Singapore and Malaysia with Mahendra Jung's assistance,” the source told Republica, “However, DSP Shahi and Mahendra Jung were stopped by Singapore immigration and returned to Malaysia,” a police source said. Interpol requested their details about a month after they returned to Nepal from Malaysia.
Mahendra Jung has been residing in Malaysia for a long time and is also a former president of the NRN Malaysia. Dipendra Bahadur was a candidate from Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist Center) for the position of chairman of Baijnath Rural Municipality in the local elections. Mahendra and Dipendra are also close relatives.
