Lila Ballabh Adhikari, a member of the Koshi Provincial Assembly from CPN-UML who is linked to a human trafficking case, has been brought to Kathmandu.
Adhikari was arrested from his home in Biratnagar earlier on Sunday.
Police brought him to Kathmandu on a Yeti Airlines flight on Sunday afternoon. He has been taken to the Kathmandu Police Range.
Adhikari is accused of trying to smuggle people into Japan illegally by abusing his position.
Adhikari had flown to Japan without seeking permission from the Koshi Cabinet and the federal government.
But the incident came to light after Japan’s immigration deported Adhikari and three others -- 36-year-old Dawa Sherpa of Khotang, Janak Rai of Khotang, and 22-year-old Kanchan Devkota of Rasuwa -- who had traveled to Japan with him.
Adhikari resigned from his post on moral grounds after his deportation.
The three people deported by Japan are now in police custody. Police have also arrested Jugal Rijal, Bir Bahadur Sunuwar and Mahesh Pandey on the same charges based on their statements.
The arrested have told the police that they had paid Rs 1 and 1.3 million to go to Japan.
The police also recovered fake identity cards of the ministry from two of the deportees. The identity cards bear the signature of the then minister Lila Ballabh Adhikari as acting office chief.
