Five Arrested for Embezzling NPR 3.8 Million from Kapilvastu Hospital

Kapilvastu. Police have arrested five people, including hospital and bank employees, on charges of embezzling approximately NPR 3.8 million from the Basic Health Service Hospital Chandrapur in Shivaraj Municipality, Kapilvastu. The arrests were made based on a complaint filed by Shivaraj Municipality regarding irregularities in the financial transactions of the fiscal year 2081/082, which revealed a significant embezzlement. According to police, discrepancies were found in the process of depositing service fees collected by the hospital and revenue from pharmacy sales into the Nepal Bank Limited, Chandrapur branch. An audit revealed that although 129 bank voucher files were present, the corresponding amount of NPR 3,819,770 was not deposited in the bank. Following a complaint of fraud and criminal breach of trust filed by the Chairman of the Hospital Management Committee, Netra Prasad Belbase, a team from the Ward Police Office Chandrapur initiated a search for the involved individuals. Those arrested include Shivaraj Municipality's Health Section Chief, 55-year-old Chudamani Bhattarai, the hospital's Medical Superintendent, 30-year-old Dr. Amit Pandey, and Pharmacy Assistant, 37-year-old Ruksana Khatun. Additionally, Nepal Bank Limited Chandrapur branch's Cashier, 34-year-old Kamal Prasad Bhandari, and the bank's then Office Helper, 35-year-old Bikram KC, were arrested on allegations of collusion in the deposit process. All five arrested individuals have been remanded in custody for seven days by the Kapilvastu District Court for investigation into fraud and criminal breach of trust. The District Police Office Kapilvastu stated that preliminary investigations suggest organized fraud using fake vouchers of the government hospital, and further facts are being sought. Deputy Superintendent of Police Ripendra Kumar Singh provided this information.