Judicial custody of 16 accused extended for two more days

#FakeBhutaneserefugeesscam

Judicial custody of 16 accused extended for two more days

Published On: May 23, 2023 06:30 PM NPT By: Republica | @RepublicaNepal

KATHMANDU, May 23: The Kathmandu District Court has extended the police custody of 16 people arrested in the fake Bhutanese refugees scam for two more days.

The court granted two more days of judicial custody after the accused were presented before the court seeking extension on Tuesday, said Superintendent of Police of the District Police Range, Kathmandu, Sitaram Rijal.

As per the legal provision, the district attorney's office must register the case in the court within the next two days. So far, 16 people including a former deputy prime minister and former home minister and the sitting government secretary have been arrested in this case.

On Monday, the police submitted its investigation report to the public prosecutor’s office stating that 17 more people, including Prateek, the son of former Home Minister Ram Bahadur Thapa, and Neeraj, the son of Indrajit Rai, are absconding.

Out of 113 people who have come in contact with the police, 22 have lodged formal complaints with the police saying that the racket run by the high-profile individuals swindled of Rs 275 million from them.