Nepal Police’s Central Investigation Bureau (CIB) has arrested Pushpa Raj Bhattarai, a Joint Secretary at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, over his alleged involvement in issuing fraudulent Nepali travel documents to Tibetan refugees.
Key Details of the Case:
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Allegation: Bhattarai is accused of illegally issuing official Nepali travel documents to five Tibetan nationals while serving as a Section Officer in the ministry’s Consular Section.
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Modus Operandi: Documents originally designated for dispatch to the Nepali Embassy in Cairo, Egypt, were unlawfully diverted to facilitate travel to Germany under the pretense of family reunification. The applicants allegedly paid approximately Rs 800,000 per document for the papers and airport clearance.
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Investigation: The case surfaced after the German Embassy in Kathmandu flagged suspicious visa applications.While Bhattarai claimed his signature was forged, forensic testing by the Central Police Forensic Science Laboratory matched the signatures to his handwriting.
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Legal Action: Bhattarai was arrested on a warrant issued by the Kathmandu District Court after failing to appear following a prosecution charge sheet filed under the Passport Act. If convicted, he faces a fine between Rs 200,000 and Rs 500,000, imprisonment from one to three years, or both.