Nepal's former deputy PM among 16 sent on remand in Bhutan refugee scam

As many as 16 people including the former deputy prime minister of Nepal were on Friday remanded to custody for further investigation into the Bhutanese refugee scam.

The persons in custody allegedly collected large amounts of money from Nepali nationals, promising to help them relocate overseas as Bhutanese refugees.

The Kathmandu District Court on Friday sent former deputy prime minister Top Bahadur Rayamajhi, former home minister Balkrishna Khand, government secretary (now suspended) Tek Narayan Pande, former home minister Ram Bahadur Thapa's security advisor Dr Indrajeet Rai, and Bhutanese refugee leader Teknath Rijal, who are facing charges of forgery, fraud and organised crime, to custody for further investigation into the scam, according to officials.

Rayamajhi has now been suspended as the secretary of the Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Marxist-Leninist) party.

The bench of Justice Prem Prasad Neupane however ordered to release two of those accused Tanka Gurung and Laxmi Maharjan on bail.

Gurung is required to deposit Rs one million and Maharjan Rs 500,000 as bail amounts, according to court sources.

The District Attorney's Office here on May 24 had filed a case against the 18 accused based on police reports over the scam.

Those involved have allegedly swindled around 875 Nepali nationals of millions of rupees.

Other 12 persons allegedly involved in the scam are absconding.