Fraud and Blackmail Allegations Involve MP Ashika Tamang

Biratnagar. The name of MP Ashika Tamang has also been linked to the multi-crore rupee transaction and fraud dispute between Kushma Budhathoki, who is in America, and Jivan Prasad Baskota of Jhapa.  

It is alleged that Baskota befriended the family and defrauded them of crores in the name of treatment for his sick (cancer-stricken) father, Dambar Bahadur Budhathoki, and later stole chequebooks from the house and blackmailed them by 'bouncing cheques' in the names of Baskota and MP Tamang. The victim family has sought refuge with the police.

However, as the Kathmandu police delayed in registering the complaint, the victim family has approached the National Human Rights Commission. Victim Kushma Budhathoki stated that the police have finally agreed to register the complaint next Monday.  

After being threatened with jail for bouncing fake cheques worth over one and a half crore rupees and being arrested via 'Interpol' in America, Keshuki's mother Min Kumari and sister Sumana Budhathoki went to the Kathmandu Police Range with a complaint of fraud and forgery.  

However, the police directly refused to accept their complaint. 'When we went to file the complaint, the police themselves discouraged us by asking irrelevant questions. They refused to register our complaint, citing that MP Ashika Tamang's name was also involved and that a complaint had been filed from the other side,' said Keshuki's sister Sumana.  

After the police closed the door to justice, Kesh Budhathoki, who is in America, filed a complaint with the National Human Rights Commission. The Human Rights Commission directed the police to register and investigate the citizen's complaint, which made the police hesitant. Kushma said, 'Only after the matter reached the commission did the police tell us to come on Monday and register the complaint. Now we hope the case will be registered on Monday.'  

According to the victim family, the incident occurred in 2077 BS. Keshuki's father, Dambar Bahadur Budhathoki, was critically ill with cancer. At that time, Jivan Prasad Baskota contacted the family, claiming to be a senior employee (CEO level) of 'Nepal Life Insurance Company'. 'He convinced us by saying he would arrange insurance, and if anything happened to the father, the mother would receive a good amount of money,' said Sumana. 'After that, he took 25 lakh rupees in cash from us.' To raise that amount, the family even sold gold worth 15 lakh rupees.  

Dambarbahadur passed away on Poush 7, 2077 BS. After that, Baskota started visiting their house regularly, saying that the insurance paperwork needed to be done. During that time, the family sold land in Sarlahi and gave an additional 30 lakh rupees to Baskota. Later, Keshuki was made to take a share collateral loan from Sanima Bank, and out of the approved 42 lakh, 30.5 lakh rupees were directly transferred to Baskota's account via RTGS. The complaint claims that Baskota defrauded a total of 2 crore 8 lakh rupees at various times.  

After Keshuki went to America, her account at Sanima Bank was inactive. However, she suddenly received notifications via email about two bounced cheques. The first cheque was for 1 crore 85 lakh rupees in the name of Jivan Prasad Baskota (dated 2026 BS). A few days later, using another page from the same chequebook, another cheque for 1 crore 35 lakh rupees was bounced in the name of MP Ashika Tamang. The date on this cheque is Jestha 24, 2083 BS.  

'There was never such a large transaction in that account. Baskota stole that chequebook when he visited our house,' Kushma claimed. 'While I was in America, forged signatures were used here in Nepal to bounce the cheques. How did another page from that chequebook, stolen by Baskota, end up in the hands of MP Ashika Tamang? This is a matter for investigation.'
Immediately after the cheque bounced in Ashika Tamang's name, a person named Dilip Upreti started threatening the family by acting as a mediator, Kushma said. 'He came saying he was Ashika Tamang's joint secretary. He threatened that if the money was not paid, Ashika would use CIB and Interpol to have me arrested from America and ruin my life,' she said.  
Meanwhile, addressing the serious allegations against him, the accused Jivan Prasad Baskota claimed that all allegations of fraud, cheque theft, and blackmail are false. 'This is purely a matter of personal transaction. I have had many transactions with her. It's not right to create a media spectacle now,' Baskota said. 'The bank has not said the signatures don't match; it bounced due to insufficient funds in the account. They have also filed a complaint with the police. The police are probably looking into it. Why say more about this?'
When asked how MP Ashika Tamang's name got involved in this incident and about the allegations of collusion with her, Baskota protested. 'I have no acquaintance, collusion, or connection with Ashika Tamang. My issue and hers are entirely separate,' Baskota said. 'She might have had separate dealings with Ashika. That's something for them to know. I have not threatened anyone by taking Ashika's name or claiming to have influence.' He also stated that he did not take money by claiming to be an insurance agent.