The Special Court today remanded 35 officials of the Department of Immigration and Department of Foreign Employment and four businessmen to 15 days’ judicial custody for their hand in sending migrant workers with fake papers abroad.

Keshav Prasad Ghimire, Deputy Registrar, Special Court, told The Himalayan Times that a three-member bench of judges Kedar Prasad Chalise, Mohanraman Bhattarai and Bhupendra Rai issued the order. The Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority had sought 30 days’ judicial remand for 35 officials — 18 from DoI and 17 from DoFE — and four businessmen — Chitra Gupta and Harka Bahadur Limbu of Advance Recruitment Pvt Ltd, Mistak Miya of Sana International Recruitment and Shyam Prasad Shrestha of Progressive Services Nepal Pvt Ltd — arrested on Friday.

DoFE officials Deepak Prasad Khatiwoda, Chandrahari Luintel, Ram Bahadur Pokhrel and Abdullah Maksud, who were arrested on August 20, revealed a nexus between DoI and DoFE and named top officials of the government bodies for their involvement in the scam.

Of the 77 labourers with fake papers, who obtained labour approval last year, 34 have already flown out of the country.

The anti-graft body stated that it had already completed an initial investigation and it wanted to continue its final investigation so that it can forward a charge sheet to the Special Court soon.

Published on: 26 August 2013 | The Himalayan Times