Immigration connived in red passport scam

KATHMANDU, April 23: An immigration official named Bhuminanda Bhandari is found to have connived at the high-profile red passport racket.

Officials said that he helped sneak those carrying the tampered red passports of lawmakers in and out of Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA).



According to investigation sources, Bhandari was on duty at TIA on both the 16th and 18th of January to facilitate the departure and post-deportation exit of Pritivi Chantyal and an unidentified woman who carried the tampered red passports of lawmakers BP Yadav and Gayatri Sah.

Central Investigation Bureau (CIB) on Tuesday arrested Yadav and Sah on charges of tampering with and misusing their red passports. Both are now being investigated by Metropolitan Police Range Kathmandu (MPRK) under an initial four-day remand granted by Kathmandu District Court.

Officials said that Etihad Airways, whose security arrangements were crucial in identifying the fake red passport holders in Abu Dhabi, had handed Chantyal and the unidentified woman over to the Department of Immigration (DOI) unit at TIA on January 18. Bhandari was reportedly paid by the racket headed by one Santosh Uprety.

Bhandari, who was assisted by some other TIA staffers -- also to be brought under the scanner soon -- had played a central role in hiding the deportation documents provided by Etihad Airways and helping the two deportees disappear.

The Commission for Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA), which has been conducting a parallel probe into the scandal, has already interrogated Bhandari in this connection.

“We are in legal consultations to decide whether to take action against Bhandari or leave him to the CIAA,” said officials.

Sah and Yadav differ in statements

MPRK investigation sources said that Sah and Yadav, detained at Metropolitan Police Sector Anamnagar, have continuously denied the allegations brought against them.

Yadav is adamant in his total denial while Sah says she just gave her passport to Uprety but did not know what happened afterwards, sources said.

Sah even said that she and Yadav had together given their passports to Uprety.

“However, they were speechless when asked about the multiple ways their passports were tampered with and their intention in giving their passports to somebody else,” officials said.

Racket expands

Officials are widening the picture of the red passport racket which Uprety operated in association with individuals active in different sectors. A lawyer known for taking up serious criminal cases and a former colonel in the Nepal Army are also found to be in the racketeering scene together with Uprety.

“The former colonel and Uprety are also partners in realty business,” said officials.

Metropolitan Police Crime Division (MPCD) on Friday arrested a close aide to Uprety and handed him over to MPRK for prosecution.

Meanwhile, Shiva Pujan Raya, another lawmaker likely to be booked, has not yet responded to the CIB´s correspondence to present himself with his red passport. “It has already been a month and we will now write to the parliamentary secretariat with strong words to produce him,” said officials.

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