Police remand of Khand, 11 others extended by four days

KATHMANDU: Police have secured a four-day remand for 12 individuals arrested in connection to the investigation into the Bhutanese refugee scam.

Metropolitan Police Range Sunday secured the remand for Secretary Tek Narayan Pandey and former home minister Bal Krishna Khand and 10 others from the Kathmandu District Court.

Police arrested Khand on Wednesday and secured a four-day remand for him on the same day. The 12 can be kept in police remand for investigation for up to 60 days.

According to the range, police are questioning the two as well as 10 others – Indrajit Rai, adviser to former Home Minister Ram Bahadur Thapa; Narendra KC, Khand’s personal secretary; and Keshav Dulal, Sanu Bhandari, Sagar Rai, Sandesh Sharma, Tank Kumar Gurung, Sandeep Rayamajhi, Ram Sharan KC and Govinda Chaudhary.

Police investigations have revealed that amounts ranging from one to five million rupees were raised from 875 people, promising to send them to the US as Bhutanese refugees.