Nepal Police are making preparations to repatriate Jyoti Bahadur Bhandari, an accused in the Miteri Saving and Credit Cooperative fraud case, from Cambodia in the coming days. According to a high-level police source, Bhandari, who is facing separate legal charges in Cambodia, is nearing release and will be brought back to Nepal immediately afterward.
Bhandari is alleged to have been involved in embezzling NPR 148.1 million from the Lalitpur-based Mitra Saving and Credit Cooperative Limited. The Central Investigation Bureau (CIB) of Nepal Police has been investigating the case and had previously issued a Red Notice through Interpol to bring him back.
In a related development, Jyoti Gurung, wife of Congress Vice-President Dhanraj Gurung, has also been issued a notice in connection with the scam but has not been arrested yet. Meanwhile, Bhandari was detained in Cambodia months ago and is now set to be released, prompting Nepali authorities to coordinate his return via Interpol.
Earlier, the CIB had grilled NC leader Dhanraj Gurung twice after discovering that he had taken loans from Miteri Cooperative and paid interest on them. However, Gurung denied any involvement in the embezzlement and claimed he had already severed ties with Jyoti Gurung.
The investigation into the multi-million cooperative fraud continues as authorities work to hold those responsible accountable.
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