Himal Press 
KATHMANDU: The Kathmandu District Court has determined the sentences for those convicted in the high-profile fake Bhutanese refugee scam.
A single bench of District Judge Tej Bahadur Khadka determined the sentence on Tuesday.
Of the 31 defendants charged in the case, 16 were convicted, while seven were acquitted last week.
Former Deputy Prime Minister Top Bahadur Rayamajhi was sentenced to two years in prison and fined Rs 20,000 for fraud. He also received three years of imprisonment and a Rs 30,000 fine for organized crime, and one year and six months’ imprisonment along with a Rs 15,000 fine for offences against the state. The court has also imposed an additional six-month prison term under the same charge.
Similarly, former Home Minister Bal Krishna Khand was sentenced to one year in prison and fined Rs 10,000 for fraud, one year and six months in prison with a Rs 15,000 fine for organized crime, and six months’ imprisonment and a Rs 5,000 fine for offences against the state. The bench has also imposed an additional three-month prison term under the same charge.
Former Secretary Tek Narayan Pandey has been handed two years’ imprisonment and a Rs 15,000 fine for fraud, three years’ imprisonment and a Rs 30,000 fine for organized crime, and one year and six months’ imprisonment along with a Rs 15,000 fine for offences against the state. The bench has ordered an additional six-month prison term for Pandey.
Similarly, Dr Indrajit Rai has been sentenced to two years in prison and a Rs 20,000 fine for fraud, three years and a Rs 30,000 fine for organized crime, one year and six months with a Rs 15,000 fine for offences against the state, and an additional six months’ imprisonment.
Meanwhile, Bechan Jha was sentenced to one year’s imprisonment and fined Rs 10,000 after being convicted of fraud.
