Deported travelers reveal paying NPR 1 million each

Kathmandu, November 7 — Police investigations have revealed that individuals who traveled to Japan with Koshi Province's outgoing Minister for Internal Affairs and Law, Leelaballabh Acharya, using fake documents, paid NPR 1 million each. 

The individuals who were deported from Tokyo airport and returned to Kathmandu include 36-year-old Dawa Sherpa from Khotang, 22-year-old Kanchan Devkota from Rasuwa, and Janak Rai from Khotang. According to the police, each of them had paid NPR 1 million.

On October 31, the three, along with the minister, were deported by Japan’s immigration office in Tokyo. After their return to Kathmandu’s Tribhuvan Internationl Airport, they were arrested by the police.

The District Police Range Kathmandu is conducting an investigation into the case of document forgery. According to one of the investigating officers, the suspects initially stated, “We paid NPR 1 million each in exchange for participating in a cultural program in Japan and staying there under certain conditions.”

Additionally, Mahesh Pandey, aged 34 from Dhading, reportedly paid NPR 1 million, while 30-year-old Bir Bahadur Sunar from Dolakha paid NPR 2 million to the group, as told by the detainees to the police. 

Upon returning from Japan, Sherpa was found to be carrying an identification card for a ward member from Aiselukharka in Khotang, while Devkota and Rai possessed a fake "Office Assistant" ID card from the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Law in Koshi Province. 

The investigation revealed that the group responsible for sending them to Japan had created fake documents and provided them at the airport before the flight. One officer involved in the investigation said, “It appears the group members provided Kanchan Devkota with three fake IDs at the airport.”

Minister's encounter in Hong Kong

The group had a layover in Hong Kong. During the transit, they met Minister Acharya, telling him, "We are also part of your delegation." It was only after reaching Hong Kong that Minister Acharya became aware that the group was traveling with fake documents, according to the investigating officers.

So far, the investigation has revealed that Mahesh Pandey was responsible for making the fake documents. Police are now looking into the minister’s involvement in the plan to create fake documents and send people to Japan. Two members of the group are still at large, while six individuals connected to the operation are in police custody.

Despite the minister’s involvement being questioned, police have not yet included him in the investigation. The suspects’ phones were found to have received messages from the group, including photos of the minister, with instructions to “join the cultural program in Tokyo with him.” One officer stated, “It appears the group members sent the minister’s photo to the suspects' phones.”

Japan’s immigration authorities reportedly deported the group due to suspicions surrounding their documents. Following the exposure of the incident, Minister Acharya resigned, but he has not been formally included in the investigation.