KATHMANDU, May 8: The illegal ‘Hundi’-based money transfer has been on the rise, shows the records with Nepal Police. The police confiscated over Rs 15 million illegal money in a number of cases in the past few days.
On Tuesday, the police seized Rs 4.32 million from Bishal Bazaar in Kathmandu from two individuals. The arrested individuals have been identified as 67-year-old Suraj Datta from Kolkata, India, residing in Om Bahal, Kathmandu and 63-year-old Dharma Prasad Dhakal from Devdaha, Rupandehi, residing in Chandragiri-15, Thrinthana.
The police seized 4,020 notes of Rs 1,000 denomination and 25 notes of Rs 500 denomination. They also recovered two blank checks signed by various savings and credit cooperative institutions, 19 checks and 11 passbooks.
Nepalis in South Korea, Israel still remitting money thru Hundi
Likewise, the police on Sunday arrested four people from Pingalasthan in Kathmandu Metropolitan City-9, who were found possessing Rs 9.517 million from undisclosed sources. Samundra Jamkatel, 29 from Tarakeswar Municipality-3, Kathmandu; Ganesh Rai, 43, from Saptakoshi Municipality-1, Saptari; Santosh Gurung, 31, from Dudhpokhari Rural Municipality-3, Lamjung; and Santosh Ghimire, 39, were among those arrested on charge of illegal possession of currency. They were found riding two motorcycles in a suspicious manner and a search of their bags led to the discovery of the large sum of money.
On April 3, the police apprehended a Chinese national allegedly involved in a hundi business and seized over Rs 20 million from her possession. A team of police officials rounded up Rikshe Wangmo, 26, of Tibet, on the basis of a tip-off that a hundi transaction was taking place in Kathmandu Metropolitan City-27. Wangmo was searched according to the law and the seized Rs 2,092,000 in cash from her possession.
Superintendent of Police (SP) Apil Raj Bohara at the District Police Range (DPR), Kathmandu, said they have intensified the search operations against the transactions carried out through illegal channels. According to him, individuals involved in illegal trading have been using informal means for interstate money transfer.
Meanwhile, the Department of Revenue Investigation Office, Butwal on Thursday filed cases at the Kapilvastu District Court against four individuals accused of illegally possessing foreign currency. Rakesh Kumar Verma, 26, Rajesh Kumar Verma, 35, of Shuddhodan Rural Municipality-6, the driver of a vehicle Hamid Musalman, 28, a resident of Naugarh, Sidhharthanagar of India, currently residing in Mayadevi Rural Municipality-1, Kapilvastu were among the accused charged by the government authority.
In February 2023, the police arrested these individuals carrying a total of INR 2.171 million while travelling from Taulihawa to Bhairahawa. The money was hidden in a false bottom in three places under the seats of the vehicle they were using for travel.
