KATHMANDU, Jan 24: A case has been registered at the Kathmandu District Court against a group of 17 people on the charge of dealing around Rs 300 billion through illegal hundi, cryptocurrency transactions and various digital platforms. Among these 17 people is the controversial businessman Bimal Poddar.

Based on the investigation report of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CIB) of Nepal Police, the District Government Attorney's Office (DGAO) Kathmandu has filed a case against the accused, demanding Rs 286 billion compensation for offenses under Nepal Rastra Bank Act, 2058 BS and Prevention of Organized Crime Act, 2070 BS.

On November 22, CIB arrested 48-year-old Rupesh Shrestha from a house located in Bagbazar, Kathmandu Metropolitan City-28, based on a tip-off that hundi transactions were being carried out from there. According to the CIB, 17 people, including businessman Poddar, were involved in this business while checking the mobile phones and registers recovered from Shrestha.

Other accused include 35-year-old Ashish Agarwal of Thapathali, Kathmandu-11, 48-year-old Min Bahadur GC of Samakhusi, 49-year-old Kumar Pariyar of Hetauda Sub-Metropolitan City-12, 45-year-old Jhanindra Prasad Khatiwada of Gauradaha Municipality-4, Jhapa. Along with Shrestha, the police arrested five people namely Agarwal, JC, Pariyar and Khatiwada. According to CIB, 12 accused including businessman Poddar are absconding.

Among the absconding accused are Dipesh Shrestha, 44, of Bagbazar, Kathmandu-28; Anshul Shrestha, 31, of Kathmandu-31; Rachana Sharma (wife of Rupesh Shrestha); Sharad Bhattarai of Bidur Municipality-4 of Nuwakot; Birendra Magar of Galchhi Rural Municipality-2 of Dhading; Bigal Singh Sharma of Babai Rural Municipality-6, Dang., Om Kumar Shrestha of Kamalamai Municipality-6, Sindhuli, Deepak Sharma of Putlibazar Municipality-4 of Syangja, Wangden Phuntsok Lama of Umakunda Rural Municipality-1 of Ramechhap, Govinda Prasad Shrestha of Devchuli Municipality-10, Nawalpur and Rudey Tamang of Manthali Municipality-10 of Ramechhap.

Among them, businessmen Poddar, Dipesh and Anshul are in America, police said. Dipesh is Rupesh's brother. It has been revealed by the police investigation that this group has established an international network from the US to Nepal and from Nepal to India and has evaded the banking system in order to harm the revenue of the Government of Nepal and transfer money through Hundi, cryptocurrency and 'CashApp'.

The police investigation showed that Rupesh alone had a transaction of nearly Rs 200 billion. He has transacted more than Rs 171.62 billion from different cryptocurrency wallets alone. His transactions include over Rs 171.62 billion from various cryptocurrency wallets, more than Rs 2.260 billion from the registers of 'John Robert' and 'Ryan Baker,' and over Rs 14.74 billion through 'CashApp'.

Similarly, the research shows that Ashish has transacted more than Rs 96 billion from different cryptocurrency wallets and more than Rs 1.14 billion from CashApp. It has been found that the arrested other accused also engaged in illegal transactions worth millions of rupees.

 
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