Kathmandu, May 17: A planned overseas job for Saptari’s Ajay Kumar Yadav collapsed after a Kathmandu-based manpower agency allegedly tried to extort nearly 30 times the official recruitment fee under Nepal’s “free visa, free ticket” policy.
Yadav, who aimed to work as a security guard in Malaysia, had already paid NPR 70,000 even though the legal ceiling for such placement stands at around NPR 10,000. Despite visa approval and an issued ticket, the Koteshwor-based “Grand Sweet Job” agency reportedly withheld his passport and documents, demanding a total of NPR 300,000 before processing his travel.
The agency later set May 17, 2026 as the departure date, but only if Yadav paid the remaining NPR 220,000. Pressed for money, he approached Kathmandu and reported the matter to the Ministry of Labour, Employment and Social Security.
Acting on the complaint, officials from the minister’s secretariat, including personal secretary Saroj Yadav, coordinated with police and journalists and set up a trap near Gairigaun, Tinkune. When Yadav met the agent at the agreed location, police moved in as the agent demanded cash.
Yadav refused to hand over money without receiving his passport and documents first, triggering a brief confrontation. Police immediately arrested the agent on the spot.
During interrogation, the suspect admitted to charging NPR 300,000 for a job officially capped at NPR 10,000 under the government scheme. Police also recovered four passports, flight tickets, and related paperwork, suggesting multiple victims may be involved.
Authorities later returned Yadav’s passport, labour permit, insurance, and ticket, clearing his path to Malaysia on May 17.
Officials said the case highlights continued exploitation of migrant workers by manpower agencies exploiting loopholes in foreign employment rules. The arrested agent has been taken to the Kathmandu Valley Crime Investigation Office for further investigation.
Saroj Yadav said the operation prevented a likely fraud, while urging workers to report suspicious recruitment practices directly to the ministry. Police continue to probe the wider network behind the scam.
People’s News Monitoring Service
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