Police in Kathmandu arrested two individuals on Friday for allegedly defrauding job seekers of Rs 1.15 million by promising lucrative foreign employment opportunities.
The arrested individuals are Girish Bilas Joshi, 45, of Kathmandu Metropolitan City-8, originally from Kathmandu Metropolitan City-21, and Nilkantha Khanal, 47, of Kathmandu Metropolitan City-13, originally from Galchhi Rural Municipality-3, Dhading.
According to police, Joshi allegedly defrauded one victim of Rs 200,000 by promising a job in Greece. Khanal is accused of taking Rs 950,000 from three victims with promises of employment in Croatia. Both individuals then became unreachable, prompting victims to file complaints.
The Kathmandu Valley Crime Investigation Office (KVCIO), the police unit responsible for investigating crimes in the Kathmandu Valley, arrested Joshi from Kathmandu Metropolitan City-29 and Khanal from Kathmandu Metropolitan City-13. The KVCIO, led by Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Santosh Khadka, has forwarded the arrestees to the Department of Foreign Employment (DoFE), the government body responsible for regulating and investigating foreign employment-related matters, at Tahachal, Kathmandu, for further investigation and action.
Foreign employment fraud on the rise
Foreign employment fraud is a significant concern in Nepal. The Foreign Employment Act, 2064, criminalises such fraudulent activities. Under this act, offenders can face imprisonment for up to seven years and a fine of up to Rs 500,000. Additionally, victims are legally entitled to receive 50 percent compensation for the defrauded amount.
The DoFE is empowered to receive complaints and investigate all offences related to foreign employment. Data from the fiscal year 2081/82 shows a concerning trend, with 12,790 complaints of foreign employment fraud registered. This represents an increase of approximately 40 percent compared to the previous fiscal year, highlighting the growing challenge of combating such scams.
What happens next
The Department of Foreign Employment will conduct further investigations into Joshi and Khanal. Upon completion of the investigation, the department is expected to file charges with the Foreign Employment Tribunal, following legal advice from a special government attorney. There is also a proposal under consideration to amend the Foreign Employment Act, which would allow police to investigate individual fraud cases and district courts to adjudicate them.
However, several details remain unclear. The specific sections of the law under which Joshi and Khanal will be charged have not been specified. Information regarding whether they are currently in custody or have been released on bail is also unavailable. Furthermore, it has not been confirmed whether they have been involved in similar fraudulent activities in the past. Details regarding the process and timeline for victims to recover their defrauded money are also yet to be released.
