Kavrepalanchok. A case has been filed against proprietors of Pashupati Savings and Credit Cooperatives Limited based in Banepa municipality-7 for not returning the money of the cooperatives by embezzling Rs 187.6 million.

A case of cheating has been filed at the District Court, Dhulikhel, against 17 promoters of the cooperatives by 103 savers at the District Attorney’s Office, Kavrepalanchowk. The District Government Attorney Office, Kavrepalanchowk has filed a case against the accused on the basis of the complaint lodged by the victims.

According to District Attorney Tika Bhushan Ghimire, the court has issued an arrest warrant in the case and demanded the return of the victim’s savings. All the accused are absconding. A total of 17 people including the cooperative’s board of directors, employees and former chairpersons have been implicated in the fraud case.

The case has been filed against the cooperative’s chairman Pan Bahadur Shrestha, 43, of Bhumlu rural municipality, Bindeshwori Kayastha Madhikarimi, 51, of Panauti municipality-7, managing director and manager Rajaram Sakupayo, 39, of Suryabinayak Municipality-8, Bhaktapur, proprietors Laxmi Kumari Shrestha, 39, of Suryabinayak-8, Bhaktapur, Rukesh Shrestha, 32, of Sindhupalchowk, Pramila Manandhar, 35, of Sipadole, Bhaktapur.

Similarly, the loan officer Ram Sundar Basnet,36, of Banepa-9, Jaya Gopal Shrestha,40, of Banepa-4, Krishna Prasad Ghimire,41, of Khanikhola Rural Municipality-6, Manish Shrestha,33, of Banepa-48 and market officer Pradeep Shahi, 35, of Banepa-7 were also arrested.

The District Police Office, Kavrepalanchowk, however, has been requesting the police to repay the loans taken by the cooperatives. Police had recently warned of taking action against the borrowers who did not come in contact with Mukul Savings and Credit Cooperatives of Banepa Municipality-7.

A complaint has been lodged with the police against the proprietors of about a dozen cooperatives operating in the district so far, alleging that they have cheated the savers of their savings. Among the complaints, 26 people have been arrested on the charge of misappropriation of funds of cooperatives. According to the police, 67 of the accused are still absconding.