Lalita Niwas land grab scam: Arrest warrant issued against 406 people

Kathmandu: Police have intensified the investigation into Lalita Niwas land grab scam scam.

Police are also investigating VIPs and VVIPs involved in this scam. Meanwhile, the Central Investigation Bureau (CIB) of Nepal Police has issued arrest warrants against 406 people, including five former secretaries of the Government of Nepal.

An arrest warrant has been issued against the then secretaries Deep Basnyat, Yubaraj Bhusal, Chhabi Raj Panta, Dinesh Hari Adhikari and Narayan Gopal Malego for their alleged involvement in transferring government land of Lalita Niwas to individuals.

Of the 406 people, some have been taken into custody and investigation is underway, police said. Deep Basnyat, a former chief commissioner of the Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority( CIAA), is absconding.

Police are investigating four cases in connection with the embezzlement of 112 ropanis of land.

Similarly, 4 ropanis, 14 aana, 3 paisa and 2 daam of land in the name of Tikinccha Guthi has been embezzled. More than 100 people are also involved in the scam.

Those arrested in lalita niwas case include nayab subba Ramesh Kumar Pokharel and Dev Narayan Maharjan, then ward secretary Shivaji Bhandari, surveyors Ghaman Kumar Karki and Mohi Baburam Maharjan, former election commissioner Sudhir Kumar Shah, owner of Bhatbhateni supermarket Min Bahadur Gurung, then land revenue employees Dharma Prasad Gautam and Gopal Karki.