Fraudulent Incidents Reported in Morang

Biratnagar. Vishnu Giri of Kanepokhari Rural Municipality-7, Morang, filed a complaint at the District Administration Office, Morang two weeks ago, alleging fraud by a gold and silver shop. Having been defrauded for years, she hoped that the government led by Balen Shah would help her recover her lost amount of over 2.9 million rupees.

Immediately after the complaint, the District Administration Office, Morang, has been showing promptness in summoning people, taking statements, and resolving the complaint. Giri is not the only one defrauded by gold and silver shops. Homnath Adhikari, who runs a gold and silver business, is currently hiding in America.

Just a few days ago, police arrested Uddhav Pathak from Sijuwa, Morang, who was defrauding hundreds of youths in the villages and settlements of Jhapa and Morang of lakhs of rupees by promising them foreign employment. He, residing in Romania, had established KSA International Manpower in Urlabari Municipality-3, Morang, and was defrauding youths by promising to take them to Romania through the same manpower agency.

Police became active after Ashish Karki and others from Urlabari-3 filed a complaint against him, leading to Pathak's arrest. Following the news of Pathak's arrest, victims are coming to the administration office daily.

Pawan Karki of Kamal Rural Municipality-1, Jhapa, had paid over 7.5 lakh rupees to the same manpower agency. After being told that the visa and ticket were all ready, he reached New Delhi, India. However, when it was revealed that the air ticket was fake, he returned to Nepal. After returning to Nepal, the matter of taking him to Romania remained just talk. Pathak also defrauded Jeevan Limbu of Morang and Umesh Khatri of Jhapa in a similar manner.

Police investigation has revealed that hundreds of people have been extorted crores of rupees in the name of sending them to Romania by Pathak, 37, of Ratuwamai Municipality-8, Morang. 'So far, 155 individual and 113 group complaints have been filed,' said Makendra Kumar Mishra, spokesperson for Morang Police. 'The amount defrauded has exceeded 25 million rupees.' Initially, a complaint was filed against Pathak for defrauding 1.6 million rupees. Mishra said that the number of people filing complaints against Pathak is increasing.

Saroj Koirala, Assistant Chief District Officer of the District Administration Office, Morang, said that the number of people filing complaints about fraud has increased since the new government led by Balen Shah came into power. According to him, only 65 new complaints of fraud in the name of foreign employment have been filed at the District Administration Office, Morang, since Baisakh 1, 2083.

According to Koirala, during the same period, the administration office has returned 8.862 million rupees to the victims, and 30 cases have been settled. The administration office has completely stopped transactions from 9 accounts of individuals and organizations involved in fraud so far.

Similarly, the picture of fraud related to meter-interest at the District Administration Office is also dire. According to the details of the current fiscal year until Chaitra 27, 2082, 169 complaints have been filed at the administration office. Out of these, 50 cases have been settled, and 83.854 million rupees in cash and 9 Bigha 12 Kattha 9 Dhur of land have been returned to the victims.