Fake Bhutanese refugee case: Police prepare to submit investigation report today

KATHMANDU, May 21: The police have completed the investigation against the fraudsters involved in sending Nepalese to America as Bhutanese refugees. On Saturday, the police had taken the statements of former MP Angtawa Sherpa, refugee leader Teknath Rizal and chairman of the Hajj Committee, Shamsher Mia.

After completion of the statements, the investigating officers are writing the opinion. Information Officer of District Police Range Kathmandu, SP Sitaram Rijal, told Ratopati that work is being done to submit the investigation report with opinion to the government attorney's office, during office hours today.

Sixteen people, including former Deputy Prime Minister Top Bahadur Rayamajhi, former Home Minister Balkrishna Khand and former Home Secretary Teknarayan Pandey, are in police custody on charges of running a fraud business in the name of sending Bhutanese refugees to America.

According to an officer involved in the investigation, the police are giving the opinion to the government attorney that they should take a demand for punishment for 3 crimes. The police have insisted that additional punishment should be demanded for 'organized crime' and 'integrated crime' along with 3 offenses.