Bhutanese refugee scam: Home Minister Shrestha Vows to Punish Corrupt Officials

Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister Narayan Kaji Shrestha has vowed to eradicate corruption and bring those responsible to justice. Speaking at the Nirmal Lama Memorial Foundation program in Kathmandu, Shrestha acknowledged that commission and corruption have contributed to the country’s poverty, and he will not hesitate to take action against those involved.

Minister Shrestha emphasized that punishing the corrupt is the only way to create jobs for the three million Nepalis working in Gulf countries who have left their families behind to provide for their children’s future. He also assured the public that innocent individuals need not fear, and only those involved in corruption will face legal consequences.

“We have raised the issue of action against corruption. No innocent should be afraid, no innocent will be dragged, no guilty will go away. We will not leave the guilty wherever they go, this is our commitment,” Shrestha said.

The Home Minister stated that the current government has made the fight against corruption a top priority. As a result, the police have already arrested 12 individuals, including high-profile ones, involved in falsely presenting Nepalese as Bhutanese refugees and sending them to the United States. Moreover, former Home Minister Balkrishna Khand was arrested on Wednesday in connection to the case.