The Central Investigation Bureau (CIB) of Nepal Police has launched an investigation into 33 individuals involved in the "fake rescue" scandal on charges of money laundering.
This marks the second phase of the investigation into the scam, where individuals orchestrated fake rescues of tourists during mountaineering expeditions to claim fraudulent insurance payouts.
Additional Inspector General Manoj Kumar KC confirmed that the CIB has begun investigating all 33 defendants for money laundering.
“A case related to the first phase of the investigation is already under trial in court. In the second phase, we have begun an investigation against all 33 accused on charges of money laundering,” he said.
In the first phase, the accused were investigated for “organized activity against national interests,” and a case was filed in court.
Initially, the CIB had recommended prosecuting all 33 individuals. However, the District Government Attorney's Office, Kathmandu, decided to prosecute only 32 individuals, excluding aviation expert Rajendra Bahadur Singh, and filed the case in the Kathmandu District Court on March 22.
On April 2, a bench of Judge Jagat Bahadur Paudel ordered 10 of the defendants to be released on bail.
Later, on April 21, aviation expert Singh was also formally charged.
Earlier, the District Government Attorney’s Office had not given any reasons for its decision to not prosecute Singh, only stating that it was not necessary to file a case.
Following Attorney General Narayan Datta Kandel’s directive to prosecute Singh as well, the case file was reopened and the prosecution moved forward.
Joint Attorney Ishwari Prasad Dhakal of the Patan High Government Attorney’s Office overturned the March 22 decision to not prosecute Singh.
Singh is accused of attempting to conceal facts and evidence and influence the CIB's investigation into the fake rescue case.
The CIB’s investigation found that other defendants had played different roles in conducting the fake rescues.
According to a source, after the case against him was filed, Singh appeared in court before a summons was even issued. He was later released on a bail of Rs 200,000.
Other defendants involved in orchestrating the fake rescues were also released on varying amounts of bail, while some were absconding.
Following the district court’s order on April 2, operator Mukti Pandey and manager Subash KC of Everest Experience and Assistance Pvt Ltd, operator Jayaram Rimal of Mountain Rescue Service Pvt Ltd, and operator Rabindra Adhikari Nepal Chartered Service Pvt Ltd were released on a bail of Rs 3 million each.
Dr Girwan Raj Timilsina (chairman and medical director of Shreedhi Hospital), Bibek Pandey (manager of Mountain Rescue Service), Khemraj Adhikari (alias Santosh), Pasang Sherpa (shareholder of Panorama Himalayan Trekking and Expedition Pvt Ltd), and Sandip Tiwari (operator of Royal Holidays Adventure and Travel Company) were released after posting bail of Rs 500,000 each.
The court ordered the release of Bibek Raj Thapaliya, manager of Nepal Chartered Service, on a bail of Rs 100,000.
