KATHMANDU, July 24: Police on Monday arrested two more individuals from Lalitpur on charges of their involvement in the Lalita Niwas land grab scam.
The Central Investigation Bureau (CIB) of Nepal Police apprehended Sanjay Kumar Maharjan and Sakulananda Maharjan, both residents of Lalitpur district, for their alleged role in registering public land under the names of individuals by posing as fake tenants.
Big businesses involved in Lalita Niwas land scam
SSP Dinesh Acharya, in charge of the CIB, revealed that a total of 22 individuals, including the two arrested on the day, have been implicated in the scam, which also involves some prominent entrepreneurs and bureaucrats.
The land grab scam revolves around the embezzlement of 143 ropanis of government-owned land that occurred between 2049 BS and 2069 BS. Through forgery and deception, the Lalita Niwas land, originally government property, was fraudulently transferred into private ownership.
Earlier, the CIB had submitted a report recommending legal action against 300 individuals connected to the scam. However, the government attorney opted to withdraw the report, citing the need for further investigation.
The CIB is currently actively conducting a fresh inquiry into the matter.
