Fake Bhutanese Refugee Case: Court to Set Sentencing for Convicted

Kathmandu. The Kathmandu District Court has scheduled a hearing today for the sentencing of the defendants convicted in the fake Bhutanese refugee case.

The bench of Kathmandu District Court Judge Tej Bahadur Khadka had convicted defendants including Rayamajhi.

According to Nepal's Criminal Offenses (Sentencing and Implementation) Act, 2074, in cases where the sentence is more than 3 years, a separate hearing must be held within 30 days of conviction for sentencing. As per the legal provision under the Criminal Procedure Code, a separate hearing must be scheduled for sentencing after conviction in serious cases, the court has set the date for Ashad 29.

In this case, former Deputy Prime Minister Top Bahadur Rayamajhi, former Secretary Teknarayan Pandey, and former Home Minister's security advisor Dr. Indrajit Rai have been identified as the main culprits, while former Home Minister Balkrishna Khand and refugee leader Teknath Rizal and others have been convicted as accomplices. The court has also informed the District Government Attorney's Office and the defendants' legal practitioners of the same date and ordered them to complete the pre-sentencing report and other necessary procedures.