May 15: The District Court, Kathmandu on Sunday extended the custody of 12 individuals accused of being involved in the fake Bhutanese refugee scam by four more days for the police to investigate the case.

The court granted permission for the extension of custody following an appeal by the District Police Range, Kathmandu to the court stating that the investigation could not be concluded within the previously given deadline, said SP Sitaram Rijal    
Police have so far arrested 13 people, including suspended UML Secretary Top Bahadur Rayamajhi, for allegedly promising to send people to the United States identifying them as Bhutanese refugees. The accused include some high-profile individuals including former Minister for Home Affairs Bal Krishna Khand, former Home Secretary Tek Narayan Pandey and MP Indrajit Rai, security advisor to former Home Minister Ram Bahadur Thapa, among others.    
Police have the authority to launch investigation into organized crimes by keeping the alleged people in custody for 60 days. It's been 50 days since the police made the first round of arrests involving conmen and launched the investigation. Based on the statements given by the conmen, police later made some high-profile arrests that has rocked the political circle of the country.
SP Rijal added that they were preparing to submit a report to the Office of the District Public Prosecutor in 8 to 9 days. The office will thereafter register prosecution based on that report.    
Police have so far received 20 complaints from 106 individuals in connection with the scam. The victims have complained that the fraudsters fleeced over Rs 230 million from them promising to send them to the USA. -- RSS