Himal Press 
KATHMANDU: The Patan High Court has decided to conduct a further hearing to decide whether to release former home minister and Nepali Congress (NC) leader Bal Krishna Khand, as the two judges hearing the case held differing views.
A division bench of High Court Judges Janak Pandey and Prakash Kharel heard the case on Friday. While Pandey was for releasing Khand on bail of Rs 3 million, Kharel was in favor of keeping him behind bars until a final verdict is announced.
The bench, however, upheld the Kathmandu District Court’s decision to keep eight individuals, including former Deputy Prime Minister and UML leader Top Bahadur Rayamajhi, former home secretary Tek Narayan Pandey, security expert Indrajit Rai, Keshav Dulal, and Ang Tawa Sherpa in judicial custody until the final verdict is delivered. It ordered the release of Khand’s secretary Narendra KC on bail of Rs 1 billion, Rayamajhi’s son Sandeep on bail of Rs 3 million, Bhutanese refugee leader Tek Nath Rijal on bail of Rs 1.5 million, then Haj Committee chairman Shamsher Miyan on bail of Rs 1 million, and Ram Sharan KC on bail of Rs 1.5 million.
It ordered the release of Tanka Gurung, Laxmi Maharjan, and Ashish Budhathoki on a general date.
The District Government Attorney’s Office Kathmandu filed a case against 20 individuals arrested in the fake Bhutanese refugees scam under charges of fraud, organized crime, treason, and forgery at the Kathmandu District Court. On June 16, the district court released three on a general date and remanded 17 others in judicial custody.
The 17 had challenged the district court’s verdict at the high court.
