Himal Press 
KATHMANDU: The Central Investigation Bureau (CIB) of Nepal Police has arrested six operators of various travel companies for allegedly defrauding millions of dollars by conducting fake rescues of foreign trekkers and mountaineers in Nepal.
Organizing a press conference in Kathmandu on Sunday, CIB Chief AIG Manoj KC said Jayram Rimal and Bibek Pandey of Mountain Rescue Service, Ravindra Adhikari and Bibek Raj Thapaliya of Nepal Charter Service Pvt Ltd, and Mukti Pandey and Subash KC of Everest Experience and Assistance Pvt Ltd have been arrested after securing court approval.
KC said their investigation revealed that three companies filed claims with foreign insurers by staging unnatural rescue operations.
According to CIB, 171 of 1,248 rescues conducted by the Mountain Rescue Service turned out to be fake. The company allegedly claimed more than $10 million in insurance payouts for these cases.
Similarly, 75 out of 471 rescues conducted by Nepal Charter Service were fake, CIB investigation shows. The company made claims worth $8.2 million for these rescue operations.
Everest Experience and Assistance Pvt Ltd conducted suspicious rescues of 71 out of 601 tourists. It claimed $1.15 million in insurance payout.
