+

Home Minister’s brother arrested on extortion charge

Home Minister Ram Bahadur Thapa during a press conference in Kathmandu, on Tuesday, July 23, 2019.

Kathmandu, September 12

Home Minister Ram Bahadur Thapa’s brother Naresh Thapa has been arrested on an extortion charge.

According to a high-ranking police source, Naresh was arrested because he was in constant contact with Samir Man Basnyat, who has been alleged of being the mastermind behind the 2017 murder of Sharad Gauchan, former chairman of the Federation of Construction Contractors.

Police officials have reported that Basnyat runs an extortion racket from the custody. DIG Niraj Bahadur Shahi, chief of the Central Investigation Bureau, says the investigators have suspected that Naresh was used by Basnyat’s group to extort various businesspersons.

Police say Naresh’s name was associated with Bansyat after they arrested two of his accomplices, Pawan Khadka and Suren Nagarkoti, last month. It is, however, not yet clear if Naresh was also involved in the notorious murder.

Police arrested Naresh on the basis of a few messages being exchanged between Bansyat and Naresh and statements of Nagarkoti and Khadka.

It has been said that Naresh was only arrested after the Home Minister gave IGP Sarbendra Khanal the ‘green light’ to do so. IGP Khanal personally met the Home Minister to brief him about the case.

Shahi informs that a case has been filed against Naresh at the Kathmandu District Court.

React to this post

Conversation

New Old Popular