Former Koshi Minister Adhikari exonerated in human trafficking case

Kathmandu, November 25 — Former Minister for Internal Affairs and Law of Koshi Province, Lila Ballav Adhikari, has been exonerated in a human trafficking case. The Kathmandu District Government Attorney's Office decided not to file charges against him and submitted the charge sheet to the Kathmandu District Court.

According to court official Ramu Sharma, the charge sheet has been submitted and will be registered shortly.

On October 27, the former minister, along with 36-year-old Dawa Sherpa from Khotang, Janak Rai from Khotang, and 22-year-old Kanchan Devkota from Rasuwa, traveled to Japan via a Cathay Pacific flight. It was discovered that a middleman had arranged hotel bookings in Tokyo for both Adhikari and Devkota, who were supposedly traveling for a cultural program.

After being deported from Tokyo Airport and returning to Kathmandu, the former minister and three others, along with three middlemen, were arrested by the police. The arrested middlemen include 34-year-old Mahesh Pandey from Dhading, 30-year-old Bir Bahadur Sunar from Dolakha, and 23-year-old Jugal Rijal from Nuwakot.

During the investigation, it was revealed that Dawa Sherpa’s brother, who resides in Japan, had connections with Bir Bahadur from Dolakha. Due to this connection, Dawa deposited NPR 1.155 million into Bir Bahadur’s bank account to facilitate his trip to Japan.

Similarly, it was found that Devkota had paid NPR 1 million to travel to Japan. Upon being deported on October 30, they were arrested at Tribhuvan International Airport.

Further investigation revealed that Sherpa had used an identity card identifying him as a ward member of Aiselukharka Rural Municipality, Ward No. 2, in Khotang. Devkota and Rai were found to have created identification cards labeling them as "Assistants" of Koshi Province’s Ministry of Internal Affairs and Law.