Fake Bhutanese refugee case: Decision not to submit investigation report today

KATHMANDU, May 17: The district government attorney's office had instructed the police to submit the investigation report on the fake Bhutanese refugee case by Wednesday evening. District Government Attorney's Office Chief Achyutmani Neupane had given this instruction on May 14. However, the investigation report will not be submitted till the given time.

The police have decided not to submit the investigation report on Wednesday. Sitaram Rijal, Superintendent of Police (SP) of District Police Range Kathmandu told Ratopati that the investigation in the case has not been completed.

On the 26th of March, 2023, the police arrested Keshav Dulal, Tanka Gurung of Panchthar and Sanu Bhandari of Lalitpur. Following that, Sagar Rai of Morang was also arrested on March 29. Till now 14 people, including former Deputy Prime Minister Top Bahadur Rayamajhi, former Home Minister Balkrishna Khand and the Secretary of the Office of the Vice President Tek Narayan Pandey, have been detained in this case.

Police are investigating organized crime and fraud cases against them. There is a legal provision to register a case in court within 60 days for organized crime. 

The accused who were initially arrested have been in custody for 54 days and those arrested later also have the same term as the accused who were arrested in the beginning.

On the 54th day since the investigation began, the police are making 14 people appear in court. SP Rijal informed that all the accused will be produced on Wednesday for custody extension.

Former Assembly member, Angtawa Sherpa, surrendered on Monday and the court permitted the police to detain him for 2 days on Tuesday. Sherpa's statement has not been taken yet.

According to SP Rijal, the 14 accused including Sherpa will be produced in court for custody extension. According to an officer involved in the investigation, the investigation report has reached its final stage and the opinion is yet to be written.