Man arrested in Parsa for impersonating security official, extorting money

Police in Parsa district, Madhesh Province, arrested Ashok Kumar Barnawal, 51, from Pokhariya Municipality-5 on Kartik 6 (BS) for allegedly extorting money by posing as an undercover security official. Barnawal is accused of promising to facilitate the passage of smuggled goods and job placements in security forces.Barnawal allegedly claimed to be an undercover agent for Nepal Police, Nepal’s national police force, and the Armed Police Force, Nepal, the country’s paramilitary force. He reportedly told victims he had strong connections with security personnel, assuring them he could easily clear goods that had evaded customs duties.According to Chakra Bahadur Malla, spokesperson and Deputy Superintendent of Police at the District Police Office, Parsa, Barnawal also threatened to seize goods from individuals who refused to pay him. Police arrested him based on information that he was acting as a middleman in illegal activities.Further investigations are underway into allegations that Barnawal took money from various individuals, promising them jobs in Nepal Police and the Armed Police Force, Nepal. He is currently in custody, and police have extended his remand for additional questioning in accordance with the law.Undercover police operations and customs evasionThe deployment of plainclothes ‘ghumuwa’ (undercover) police by Nepal Police and the Armed Police Force, Nepal, has been a contentious issue in the past. In Poush 2079 (BS), then Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister Rabi Lamichhane directed the Ministry of Home Affairs to submit details of all plainclothes police personnel.In response, the Police Headquarters implemented a new operational guideline for plainclothes police in Chaitra 2080 (BS). This guideline stipulates that only officers with good conduct can be assigned to plainclothes duty, and no officer can serve in such a role for more than four years continuously. The Supreme Court has also urged Nepal Police to formulate specific laws regarding the deployment of undercover and intelligence police.Madhesh Province, with its eight districts bordering various Indian cities, faces significant challenges from smuggling and customs evasion. This has led to a rise in illegal trade, impacting the local economy and posing a challenge to state revenue collection.According to the Madhesh Province Police Office in Janakpurdham, Rs 607.18 million in revenue was collected from individuals involved in smuggling and customs evasion during the first five months of the current fiscal year 2081/82 (BS). Police data indicates that the Birgunj customs point, a major economic hub, is a primary entry point for smuggled goods.Unanswered questionsWhile Barnawal claimed to be an undercover agent, his actual affiliation with either Nepal Police or the Armed Police Force, Nepal, has not been confirmed. The total amount of money he allegedly extorted and the number of victims he defrauded are also yet to be determined. Additionally, details regarding the individuals from whom he took money for job placements remain unknown.