Kathmandu, Oct 13: A group allegedly defrauded people of Rs 65 million by forging Cabinet decisions and promising to send them to Israel for caregiver jobs, according to complaints filed with the Central Investigation Bureau (CIB).
Police have arrested five suspects and are investigating fraud, criminal profiteering and organised crime. CIB spokesperson SSP Anupam Shumsher Rana said 22 people had lodged complaints, with more expected to come forward.
Investigators said the group targeted candidates on the waiting list from Nepal’s 2024 caregiver recruitment examination. Of 3,461 successful candidates, 1,152 were waitlisted.
The suspects allegedly claimed they could secure a special Cabinet decision to send 156 waitlisted candidates to Israel immediately. They showed forged documents and invoked the name of the prime minister’s chief adviser to gain trust, allegedly charging Rs 620,000 per person.
Nepal sends caregivers to Israel under a government-to-government agreement.
Police said one individual handed over Rs 25 million after collecting money from several prospective workers. Those who paid remain stranded.
Investigators compared the alleged scheme with the fake Bhutanese refugee scandal, in which Nepalis were promised resettlement in the United States using fabricated refugee records.
In that case, fake names were allegedly added to an annex of a report prepared by a Home Ministry task force formed in 2019.
CIB officials identified Shivaram Shrestha and Gyan Bahadur Karki as the alleged makers of the forged Cabinet documents. Both reportedly told police that a man who appeared to be of Indian origin commissioned the documents. They allegedly received payment.
Police first arrested Bharat Chaulagain, 59, of Ramechhap, and Balika Shivakoti, 32, of Dolakha, on Asoj 1. Shrestha and Karki were subsequently detained in Mulpani.
The fifth suspect, Binita Khadka, a candidate for the Nepali Congress central committee, was arrested after investigators gathered evidence, police said. Kathmandu District Court on Monday ordered that she be investigated outside custody.
Police identified Balika as the main collector of payments and intermediary with victims.
The investigation began after a complaint submitted through Hello Sarkar was forwarded to the CIB. The bureau has urged other alleged victims to come forward.
Police added organised crime charges after uncovering alleged coordinated involvement by several suspects. These charges allow investigators to hold suspects in custody for up to 60 days during investigations.
People’s News Monitoring Service
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