Durga Prasain faces investigation for money laundering and cyber crime

Kathmandu, November 21 — The Nepal Police has initiated an investigation against medical entrepreneur Durga Prasain for money laundering. The Central Investigation Bureau (CIB) in Lazimpat arrested him on November 19 and obtained remand from the court for an offense under the Electronic Transactions Act, 2008.

According to CIB spokesperson (SP) Hobindra Bogati, the investigation into money laundering was initiated based on information about Prasain allegedly accumulating illegal assets without verifiable sources. He said, "We are also investigating the money laundering charge."

Currently, Prasain is under investigation by the CIB’s Central Cyber Bureau regarding electronic transactions. In addition, the CIB has opened investigations into four other offenses.

The police will move forward with charges related to forgery after Prasai allegedly created fake documents and uploaded them on social media to target Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli. CIB’s Assistant Inspector General (AIG) Deepak Thapa said, “Other offenses related to forgery and similar crimes are also being investigated.”

The preliminary investigation reveals that Prasain uploaded fake documents, claiming that Prime Minister Oli had invested in a Cambodian telecom company. The documents were uploaded by Bhuwan Bhushal. Prasain had shown these documents to Ishwar Pokharel "Safal," who is currently residing in Cambodia, during a video call. CIB officers noted discrepancies, including the mismatch of Prasai's uploaded citizenship photocopy with the official citizenship of the Prime Minister.

The police are preparing to file charges against Prasain for cybercrime, forgery, criminal gain, organized crime, and money laundering.

Separately, police has informed that Indian gang leader Lawrence Bishnoi's name is being used to threaten Nepali businessmen. Six individuals, including bankers and business owners, have lodged complaints with the CIB regarding threatening phone calls. The callers have named Durga Prasain in their threats.

The individuals calling are demanding money, threatening to kill if their requests are not met. The callers claim that Prasain is in need of financial support. The CIB has started an investigation into the connection between these threats and Prasain's activities, as the threats appear to be tied to extortion.

Initial findings from the CIB show that 141 calls originated from India. The callers state, “We are from the Lawrence gang, and since Durga Prasain is fighting to protect Hinduism, he needs financial help.”

Additionally, the CIB is investigating suspicious deposits in both the bank accounts of Prasain's campaign and his personal accounts. The Financial Information Unit (FIU) of Nepal's Rastra Bank has sent a letter to the police about suspicious transactions involving Prasain and some of his relatives' accounts.

The investigation has also revealed that Prasain has taken loans worth 6 billion Nepali Rupees from various banks. The police are looking into whether these loans have been used appropriately or not. If it is found that the loans were misused, violations under the Rastra Bank Act could be applicable, according to SP Bogati. He added, "Investigations are ongoing from multiple angles regarding Prasain."

Under the Electronic Transactions Act of 2008, if the charges are proven, Prasain could face up to five years in prison and a fine of up to 100,000 Nepali Rupees. Different laws will apply to the other charges he faces.

Previously, Prasain had been arrested on September 22 for cybercrime charges, but he was released on bail. This is his second arrest within two months.