The District Court, Kathmandu here Sunday granted four days of extension to police to further investigate 12 individuals accused of involvement in the fake Bhutanese refugee scam.
The Court granted the extension after the appeal by the District Police Range, Kathmandu to the Court stating that the investigation could not be concluded within the previously given deadline, said SP Sitaram Rijal
Police have so far arrested 12 people for allegedly sending off people to the United States identifying them as Bhutanese refugees. The accused ones include some high-profile individuals including former Minister for Home Affairs, Bal Krishna Khand and former Home Secretary Tek Narayan Pandey among others.
Police have the authority to launch an investigation into organized crimes keeping the alleged ones in custody for 60 days. It's been 50 days since the police nabbed the accused and launched the investigation.
SP Rijal added that they were preparing to submit a report to the Office of the District Public Prosecutor in the coming 8 to 9 days. The Office will thereafter register prosecution based on that report.
Police have so far received 20 complaints from 106 individuals in connection to the scam. The victims have complained that the fraudsters fleeced altogether over Rs 230 million from them.
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