Kathmandu, April 1: The government has frozen businessman Deepak Bhatt’s passport from Tuesday after investigators uncovered serious findings in an ongoing money laundering probe.
Officials have traced Bhatt’s involvement in transactions worth approximately Rs 6 billion, linked to three companies. These include dealings connected to Himalayan Reinsurance, Nepal Reinsurance rights shares, and the Hilton Hotel. Approximately Rs 5 billion is associated with a reinsurance company.
The Department of Money Laundering Investigation (DMLI) has been probing Bhatt and 26 associated individuals since Kartik, citing suspected links with business figures, political leaders, and senior officials. Statements from all 26 individuals were completed by mid-March, though authorities have yet to decide whether to file cases against all of them.
The case had first surfaced in 2021 after Nepal Rastra Bank’s Financial Information Unit flagged suspicious deposits from Jagadamba Steel into Bhatt’s account. Despite initial communication with the DMLI, the probe stalled and was later handed back to the central bank in 2022.
The investigation regained momentum after Finance Minister Rameshwar Khanal reopened the الملف following his appointment in the post-Gen Z movement government. The DMLI was also brought under the Finance Ministry, its leadership changed, and old cases, including Bhatt’s, were revived.
Officials say further investigation is ongoing into additional suspicious transactions linked to security contracts and the stock market. Authorities plan to finalize the probe and file a case in court within weeks.
People’s News Monitoring Service
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