Himal Press 
POKHARA: Five youths have been arrested in Pokhara on charges of involvement in illegal cryptocurrency trading and online gambling.
According to District Police Office, Kaski, the youths were arrested from the house of Rupendra GC (31), a permanent resident of Jaljala in Parbat and currently residing at Anupam Tol in Pokhara-14. They were conducting the illegal activities from his residence, police say.
Police have arrested Rupendra Bikram Baniya (33) from Beni-5 in Myagdi, Sajjan Ghimire (22) from Beni-2 in Myagdi, and Rojan KC (19) and Sandeep Katwal from Raghuganga-2 in Myagdi. Bikram and Sajjan are Rupendra’s cousins (sons of his paternal aunt), Rojan is Rupendra’s son and Sandeep is his brother-in-law.
Bikram runs a fancy store in Chipledhunga, Pokhara, Sandeep operates a consultancy named ‘Foot Step’, while Rojan and Sajjan are currently pursuing their undergraduate studies.
Acting on a tip-off, a joint team from the Gandaki Provincial Police Office and District Police Office, Kaski, led by DSP Shyam Babu Oli, conducted the raid and arrested the suspects on Friday evening.
Speaking at a press meet on Sunday, DSP Basanta Kumar Sharma, the spokesperson for the District Police Office, Kaski, said that the suspects had opened bank accounts in their names as well as in the name of their relatives to conduct illegal transactions. “Our investigations have revealed that transactions worth Rs 300 million were conducted – Rs 150 million in online gambling and Rs 150 million in cryptocurrency trading – through platforms like WhatsApp, Telegram, Cash App, and Crime App,” DSP Sharma said.
According to police, Rupendra, an IT engineer, has been working in the USA for the past 10 years and is pursuing a PhD. “He had returned to Pokhara on leave just a month ago. Preliminary investigations revealed that the group was running online gambling operations in three daily shifts from Rupendra’s house with each shift handling transactions of up to $3,000,” DSP Sharma added.
Police have recovered 31 mobile phone sets, two computer monitors, three CPUs, four laptops and other equipment, along with Rs 72,500 in cash from the suspects. ”
They have been charged with using cryptocurrency and engaging in gambling or betting,” DSP Sharma added.
