KATHMANDU, May 19: The Kathmandu District Court has given permission to keep Bhutanese refugee leader Teknath Rijal and Chairman of Nepal Hajj Committee Shamsher Miya in custody for two days to conduct investigation into their alleged involvement in the Bhutanese refugee scam.
Rijal was arrested by the police from Tribhuvan International Airport while he was coming to Kathmandu from Jhapa, while Miya was arrested from the Ministry of Energy, Water Resources and Irrigation at Singha Durbar, Superintendent of Police Sitaram Rial said.
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Earlier, the police arrested 14 people, including the former minister and the current secretary, and took their preliminary statements. The number of people arrested in relation to this scam has reached 16. Rijal was arrested for investigation after it was found that he had financial transactions with Sanu Bhandari, who was detained earlier, police said.
In the past, Rijal had taken the initiative for the resettlement of the remaining refugees. Based on this, the government formed a task force. On the other hand, Chair of the Hajj Committee Miyan has been accused of colluding with the gang.
The vehicle he had given to be used by the Hajj committee was used by the gang, family members said. A total of 16 people including former deputy prime minister Top Bahadur Rayamajhi, former home minister Balkrishna Khand, former secretary (home affairs) Teknarayan Pandey, former home minister's security adviser Dr Indrajit Rai have been arrested for investigation in the incident.
