Our correspondents said irate members padlocked Unity offices, while some registered applications, seeking refund of their membership fees. [break]
According to our Dhangadhi correspondent Dil Bahadur Chhatyal, infuriated Unity clients padlocked Unity´s Dhangadhi office and handed over the key to Kailali CDO. They have demanded the administration to do the needful in returning their amount and take stern action against Unity promoters.
“We have padlocked the Unity´s office to ensure safe return of our money from the promoters after media reports laid bare their foul play,” Saroj Shah of Far-Western Regional Rights Protection Front told myrepublica.com.
Sunil Kumar Mishra, chief of Unity´s Dhangadhi office, confirmed that around 25 clients had approached the office to get their membership fee back.
Our Dang correspondent Gajendra Bohara said thousands of Unity members in the district are preparing to form a front to press the Unity management to return their membership fee. Unity has more than 13,000 members in Dang district alone. It has opened a department store at the cost of Rs 2 million and established a 55-bed hospital in the district.
Likewise, our Tanahun correspondent Samundra Poudel said Unity had been operating a hospital in the district without following the minimum standard set by the government. The hospital has only one doctor According to Health Ministry´s standard, a 15-bed hospital and nursing home should have at least one MBBS doctor.
Our Pokhara correspondent Manoj Adhikari said hundreds of people rushed to Unity´s Pokhara office on Monday, demanding return of their membership fee. However, Unity officials refused to refund the membership fee and asked them to follow due procedures. Unity clients were further infuriated when they learnt that Unity´s Pokhara Chief Madhav Kshetry along other officials had left for Kathmandu without addressing their demands.
Likewise, our Itahari correspondent Amar Khadka said more than 50 applications were filed at the eastern regional office of Unity, demanding refund of membership fee. Unity has more about 150,000 members in the eastern region. About 40,000 of them have bought assurance policy from Unity.
Meanwhile, our Baglung correspondent Dilip Poudel said people rushed to Unity office to safeguard their membership fee and demanding stern action against those involved in fraudulent activities. Though Unity has established a 15-bed hospital in the district, it does not have necessary manpower and proper facilities, according to the Unity clients. They also said Unity had evaded about Rs 400,000 in tax while purchasing land to build its office building in the district.
Our Taplejung correspondent Khagendra Adhikari said most of the Unity members in the districts have been pressing Unity officials to refund their investment. They have also formed a struggle committee and are preparing to lodge an application at District Administration Office, requesting the local administration to help them return their deposits. A total of 1,256 persons in the district have received Unity´s membership by paying Rs 1.88 million.
In Sindhupalchowk district, Unity members have knocked the doors of local administration to help protect their investment. Our correspondent Dhruba Dangal said Unity has around 500 clients in the district. “I don´t know how to get back my hard-earned money. They cheated me,” Meena Shrestha, a local client of Unity, told myrepublica.com.
Our Kavre correspondent Madhusudan Guragain said more than 3,000 Unity members in the district are worried about the fate of their investment, after police started arresting Unity promoters.
MoFA writes to MoF for probe
Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) on Monday wrote to Ministry of Finance for necessary probe on illegal business of Unity Life International as Nepali missions abroad have been facilitating ULI´s expansion on foreign land.
MoFA has sought Finance ministry´s opinion on ULI´s business. A MoFA official said they need to hold necessary discussions before sending circulars to the missions about Unity´s illegal business.
According to sources, some MoFA officials had written to Nepali missions abroad, asking them to help Unity´s activities. However, MoFA issued circulars to Nepali missions and asked them not to act on the previous letter, stating that they were taking up the issue with the Finance Ministry.
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