The final hearing in the high-profile case of sending Nepali citizens to the United States as fake Bhutanese refugees is set to begin on Wednesday at the Kathmandu District Court.
The case, under judicial consideration for two years, has now reached the stage of final arguments after witness statements and cross-examinations were completed. The District Attorney’s Office had filed charges on May 24, 2023 (Jestha 10, 2080 BS) against 30 individuals on counts of fraud, forgery, organized crime, and crimes against the state.
Supplementary charge sheets were later filed on April 21, 2024 (Baisakh 9, 2081 BS) and August 13, 2024 (Shrawan 29, 2081 BS). In total, 31 people, including former Deputy Prime Minister Top Bahadur Rayamajhi, former Home Minister Bal Krishna Khand, and former Home Secretary Tek Narayan Pandey, face indictments.
The police had first arrested Keshav Dulal and others on March 25, 2023 (Chaitra 12, 2079 BS) when the investigation began. Since then, the case has appeared in court 32 times, including 22 hearings after April 2025 (Baisakh 2082 BS). While some defendants are out on bail, others remain in custody.
Key Accused in the Refugee Scam
- Former Deputy Prime Minister Top Bahadur Rayamajhi
- His son Sandeep Rayamajhi
- Former Home Minister Bal Krishna Khand
- Former Haj Committee Chair Shamsher Miyan
- Khand’s former personal secretary Narendra KC
- Former Home Secretary Tek Narayan Pandey
- Former Constituent Assembly member Angtawa Sherpa
- Pratik Thapa, son of former Home Minister Ram Bahadur Thapa
- Former security adviser Indrajit Rai and his son Niraj Rai
- Middleman Keshav Dulal and his wife Deepa Humagain
- Middleman Sanu Bhandari
- Others involved: Tank Kumar Gurung, Mohanraj Rai, Niranjan Kumar Kharel, Keshav Tuladhar, Haribhakta Maharjan and wife Laxmi Maharjan, Rajesh Aryal, Vinita Sabden Limbu, Sagar Rai, Ashish Budhathoki, Sunil Budhathoki, Ram Sharan KC, Sandesh Sharma, Ashok Pokhrel, Govinda Kumar Chaudhary, Dhiren Rai, Bechan Jha, and Bhutanese refugee leader Tek Nath Rizal.
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