Unity illegal: Gajurel

ITAHARI/ILAM, May 16: Maoist Secretary CP Gajurel has said he rejected an invitation from the Unity Life International (ULI) after he found that it is running ´illegal´ business in and outside the country.



"They invited me to a program. At first, I was impressed as they said they run hospitals... But later I rejected to attend a function after I found the reality about their business," Gajurel told reporters at a press meet organized by pro-Maoist journalists in Itahari on Saturday. [break]



He also said the ULI people have been misusing a record of his talks with them in the past. He said they have tried to mislead some Maoist leaders showing that record as his approval of their business. "Now we are no longer in any confusion about the ULI," he clarified.



He said he enquired his friends working in financial institutions and Nepali migrant workers in Malaysia about Unity´s businesses. "They (ULI) collect a large chunk of their money in Malaysia as around 500,000 Nepalis are working there. I rejected their invitation after friends from Malaysia told me that ULI is a fraud group," he said.



Unity returns Rs 12.2m so far



Unity Life International has returned deposits and fees worth Rs 12.2 million to its 941 members so far.



Kosh Hari Niraula, chief district officer of Ilam, told myrepublica.com that 941 members have received checks from the company by Sunday.



In response to the growing demand of its members to refund deposits and fees, ULI President Kashi Ram Gurung had deposited Rs 20 million in a local bank to refund the clients after they complained to the chief district officer following media reports that raised questions over legality and sustainability of ULI schemes.



ULI has been issuing refund checks to 120 to 150 members each day.



"I submitted application for refund on May 8 and I was given the check on Sunday," said Govinda Dhakal.



The local of office of ULI is still receiving applications demanding refund. Sources said 26 more members filed applications on Sunday. Members from Panchthar have also started coming to Ilam to lodge application for refund. ULI claims to have 4,300 members in Mechi Zone and 2,200 in Ilam alone.



Meanwhile, ULI office in Ilam claimed that about 100 members who had earlier sought refund have changed their decisions after ULI launched a campaign to persuade its members in rural areas that their investments are safe.

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