Aviation Expert Arrested in Connection with Fake Rescue Scam Involving 317 Tourists
Kathmandu. Aviation management expert Rajendra Bahadur Singh has been arrested for allegedly orchestrating fake rescues of 317 tourists in the country's mountaineering and trekking sectors over four years, leading to fraudulent insurance claims. SSP Shiva Kumar Shrestha of the Central Investigation Bureau (CIB) informed Ratopati that Singh, a former Vice-President of the Airline Operators Association of Nepal, was arrested in Kathmandu on Wednesday. The 56-year-old Singh is a resident of Kathmandu Metropolitan City-31.
Rajendra Bahadur Singh is a member of the High-Level Committee for Comprehensive Analysis and Review of the Civil Aviation Sector, formed by the Council of Ministers on Chaitra 4, 2081. The Council of Ministers had appointed Anil Kumar Sinha as the coordinator of this committee.
Anil Kumar Sinha, the coordinator of the high-level committee formed when Badri Prasad Pandey was the Minister of Culture, Tourism, and Civil Aviation, is the current Tourism Minister. Rajendra Bahadur Singh, a member of this high-level committee and an aviation management expert, is currently in CIB custody in connection with the fake rescue case.
Officials involved in the investigation state that Singh, who was also the former chairman of Mountain Helicopter, instructed previously arrested accused individuals on how to conceal evidence related to the fake rescues. Nine people have been arrested so far in the fake rescue case.
Those arrested earlier have named Singh in their statements. An official involved in the investigation said, 'It has been found that Singh taught other accused how to hide evidence.'
The official involved in the investigation stated that 'audio evidence' of Singh instructing on how to hide evidence has been found. He added, 'Evidence has been found where he taught them how to hide evidence.'
It has been found that Singh told the accused that he had arranged matters with the Civil Aviation Authority to settle the fake rescue incident. An official involved in the investigation said, 'His involvement is apparent in the preliminary investigation; we are conducting further investigation.'
On Tuesday, Sandip Tiwari, the operator of Royal Holiday Adventure and Travel Company, was arrested in the fake rescue case. The 28-year-old Tiwari is a local of Ward No.-2, Jwalamukhi Rural Municipality, Dhading.
Previously, Dr. Girwaraj Timilsina, operator of Shriddhi International Hospital, Jayaram Rimal, operator of Mountain Rescue Service Pvt. Ltd., Manager Bibek Pandey, Rabindra Adhikari, operator of Nepal Charter Service, and Operation Manager Vivek Raj Thapaliya were arrested. Similarly, Mukti Pandey, operator of Everest Experience and Associates Pvt. Ltd., and Manager Subash KC are also being held by the CIB for investigation.
Transport service companies conducted fake rescues under the guise of rescue and treatment for 317 tourists who came to visit the high Himalayan region. DIG Dr. Manoj KC of the CIB informed that the accused were involved in fake rescues that occurred since 2022.
It has been found that companies claimed 2.89 billion in insurance from foreign insurance companies through fake rescues. The conclusion of the CIB investigation is that companies defrauded by arranging helicopter rescues for tourists who experienced mild altitude sickness in the high Himalayan region through 'collusion' and then claiming insurance money from the tourist's insured company after admitting them to the hospital.
Officials involved in the investigation state that before the rescue, they obtained information about the insurance policy and forced the helicopter to be called when altitude sickness struck in the high Himalayan region.
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