Himal Press 
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KATHMANDU: Nepali Congress (NC) President Sher Bahadur Deuba has pledged his support for the ongoing investigation into the Bhutanese refugee scam.
During a meeting with Prime Minister and CPN (Maoist Center) Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal on Thursday, Deuba said necessary action must be taken against those involved in the case to preserve Nepal’s image in the international arena. “If we fail to take action against those implicated in the case, it will tarnish our image in the international arena. How would other countries respond to individuals carrying Nepali passports?” he questioned.
Deuba assured Dahal that the NC would not exert any pressure on the government to influence the investigation, stating that even if the guilty parties were connected to him, they must be prosecuted.
In response, Dahal said he was expecting the full support of the NC in the ongoing investigation “The government is committed to taking the investigation to a conclusion. We won’t backtrack,” Dahal said.
Deputy Prime Minister and NC Vice President Purna Bahadur Khadka also attended the meeting.
According to Deuba’s aide Bhanu Deuba, the meeting took place before the meeting of the office-bearers of the NC. “The two leaders also deliberated on government policies, programs, and the upcoming budget,” he added.
So far, 12 individuals, including Tek Narayan Pandey, secretary at the Office of the Vice President; Bal Krishna Khand, NC central committee member and former home minister; Dr. Indrajit Rai, security adviser to former home minister Ram Bahadur Thapa; as well as other individuals associated with them, such as Narendra KC, Keshav Dular, Sanu Bhandari, Sagar Rai, Sandesh Sharma, Tanka Kumar Gurung, Sandeep Rayamajhi, Ramsharan KC, and Govinda Chaudhary, have been arrested for their alleged involvement in the Bhutanese refugee scam. Meanwhile, UML Secretary Top Bahadur Rayamajhi has gone missing after an arrest warrant was issued against him, resulting in his suspension by the UML pending the completion of the investigation.
The accused individuals are alleged to have defrauded hundreds of people by promising them resettlement in the US as Bhutanese refugees, extracting tens of millions of rupees in the process. The racket forged a government report on Bhutanese refugees to insert the names of hundreds of people.
