Cooperative Accuses Artists Sitaram Kattel, Kunjana Ghimire, and Relative Krishna Ghimire of Unpaid Loan

Kathmandu. Jest Savings and Credit Cooperative Limited has accused popular artists Sitaram Kattel (Dhurmus), Kunjana Ghimire (Suntali), and their relative Krishna Ghimire of being irresponsible by not repaying the institution's loan. The cooperative has issued a public appeal through social media claiming that they have not repaid a loan of approximately 7 million rupees and are enjoying themselves abroad.

According to the cooperative, the loan was disbursed for six months in the name of Krishna Ghimire, a board member of the Dhurmus-Suntali Foundation and brother-in-law of Sitaram Kattel. The cooperative stated that the loan was given on the condition of repayment from the daily collected donations when the foundation faced financial difficulties and its checks bounced during the construction of the Gautam Buddha International Cricket Stadium in Chitwan, leading to a risk of being blacklisted.

The cooperative's statement mentions that Krishna Ghimire is currently in the UK and, when urged to repay the loan, gives irresponsible answers such as 'Talk to my brother-in-law' or 'The Metropolitan City will pay.' Similarly, Sitaram Kattel and Kunjana Ghimire are currently in the USA, and pictures of them living a happy life after buying a house there are being circulated, but the cooperative claims they have shown no interest in repaying the institution's loan.

'Because of you, we have not been able to return the savings of our members, it has been 3 years,' the cooperative stated, targeting Dhurmus-Suntali, 'Approximately 7 million seems to be outstanding. Isn't it injustice to enjoy abroad without repaying the hard-earned money of the people?'

The cooperative has warned that it will now take legal action to recover the loan. 'Otherwise, the government is strict, and the institution has already moved towards legal means for loan recovery,' the statement said.