8 Accused Still Absconding in Fake Bhutanese Refugee Case

Kathmandu. 8 accused in the case of fraud in the name of sending people to America under the quota of Bhutanese refugees are still absconding. Based on the investigation conducted by the District Police Complex Kathmandu, the government attorney filed a case against 30 people in the court in Jestha 2080. 8 people who were absconding since the filing of the charge sheet are still absconding even after the verdict. The accused Ashok Pokharel, Dhiren Rai, Deepa Humagain, Niraj Rai, Rajesh Aryal, Mohanraj Rai, Binita Sabden Limbu and Sunil Budhathoki are still absconding. Those accused also escaped arrest by the police. They did not even appear in court during the long legal process. Absconding accused Ashok Pokharel, a resident of Itahari Sub-Metropolitan City-4, Sunsari, currently lives in America. Dhiren Rai is a local of Kanepokhari Rural Municipality-5, Morang. Deepa Humagain, a resident of Pathari Sanischare, Morang, is said to be living in Lalitpur. Niraj Rai, son of Dr. Indrajit Rai, is still on the absconding list. Police had arrested and prosecuted Indrajit, the security advisor to the then Home Minister Ram Bahadur Thapa ‘Badal’. Rajesh Aryal is a local of Jitepurphedi, Kathmandu. Mohanraj Rai is a local of Miklajung Rural Municipality, Panchthar. Binita Sabden Limbu, a resident of Pathari Sanischare Municipality-10, Morang, is still absconding. Sunil Budhathoki is a local of Gauradaha, Jhapa. On Asar 23, Judge Tej Bahadur Khadka of Kathmandu District Court, in the final hearing of the refugee case, decided to put the case on hold in the case of absconding accused. The verdict stated, ‘The present case shall be kept on hold as per Section 98 of the Muluki Criminal Procedure Code.’ Ghannendra Adhikari, Registrar of Kathmandu District Court, said that a final verdict is yet to be given in the refugee case and an interpretation will be made for the absconding parties when the full verdict is delivered. He said, ‘Whatever comes in the full verdict will be followed.’ Spokesperson (Senior District Attorney) of the Attorney General’s Office, Achyutmani Neupane, told Ratopati that the case will be reopened and a verdict will be given if the accused are arrested or appear in court. He said, ‘If the accused do not appear, the court has a legal provision to revive the case and give a verdict every 3 years.’