Kathmandu: Police have made public a woman who allegedly cheated multiple individuals by falsely claiming to be an Assistant Sub-Inspector (ASI) of the Central Investigation Bureau (CIB) of Nepal Police.
The arrested woman has been identified as 35-year-old Nirmala Mahato, a permanent resident of Barahathwa, Sarlahi, currently living in Kabilasi Municipality. She had been operating the fraud using different aliases including Neha, Nisha and Poonam Kumari.
According to the Area Police Office, Chandranigahapur, Mahato began her fraud by claiming she had close connections with customs officials and promising to arrange a Scorpio vehicle at a low price. She misused the citizenship certificate and photograph of Poonam Kumari, wife of Rajeshwar Sah from Sarlahi, to obtain a National Identity Card in her own name. Using that identity card, she opened a bank account at Machhapuchhre Bank, issued cheques with forged signatures, and carried out fraudulent transactions.
Police investigations revealed that Mahato took gold and silver worth NPR 274,000 on credit from a jeweler in Chandrapur and failed to pay. She also borrowed NPR 500,000 from an individual by citing personal problems and cheated NPR 126,000 from grocery shops and vehicle rentals. To gain trust, she repeatedly introduced herself as a police officer.
Although she was arrested from Chandrapur on Magh 4, she concealed her real identity for a long time. DSP Rupa Labung stated that her actual identity was confirmed only after detailed investigation of documents and bank accounts.
She is currently under further investigation on charges related to fraud, criminal breach of trust, and illicit financial gain.
About the Author
