Kavrepalanchok. Among those accused of misappropriating funds from the cooperatives, 26 have been arrested while 67 cooperatives are still absconding. According to the District Police Office, 26 proprietors have been arrested so far on the charge of cheating savers through various cooperatives and further investigation is underway.

Three more cooperatives have been presented before the District Court after the investigation has been completed. The petitioner claimed that the savings of Rs 38 million of Punyashwori Cooperative, Banepa, which had been submitted earlier, were not returned while the savings of more than Rs 140 million of Garud Cooperative were not returned.

According to the District Police Office, the investigation was completed on the basis of Johari and was presented before the court. According to the police, cases of fraud have been filed against 99 proprietors of eight cooperatives.

Chief of the District Police Office and Superintendent of Police Komal Shah said that the cooperative’s savings of Rs 35 million have not been returned. Adding that investigation into the remaining five cooperatives was underway, he said that investigation was underway on the case of cheating the operators of seven cooperatives in the district. Investigation is underway to file a case of fraud against some more cooperatives.

A case has been filed against 33 persons including its proprietor on the charge of cheating Rs 249,705,977 from the Agni Savings and Credit Cooperative, which has its central office at Banepa Municipality-8, Singal Road.

Based on an investigation conducted on the basis of a complaint filed by 204 savers, police filed a case against 33 people at the District Court, Kavrepalanchowk on September 13 as per Clause 32 of the Civil Criminal Procedure Code, 2074 on behalf of the District Government Attorney’s Office and the Government Attorney.

Police have so far arrested six of the 33 cases filed against them and presented them before the court, SP Shah said. A search is on for the absconding others, he added.

The arrestees have been identified as chairman of Agni Cooperative, Rabindra Shrestha of Jawalakhel, secretary Santosh Pandey of Banepa-1, Dinesh Baidya of Banepa-7, manager Rahul Chau Pradhan of Banepa-7, loan officer Bikash Gautam and Prakash Goudel.

According to the office, 27 absconding people have been presented before the court after the cooperative. As per the ministerial-level decision dated August 14, 2081 BS, a letter was sent to the District Police Office, Dhulikhel, to investigate and take action against those involved in the cooperative fraud.

The savers had lodged a complaint against the cooperatives at the police office, saying they were out of contact after closing the cooperative office in November 2081. According to SP Shah, complaints and complaints about cooperative fraud have increased since last year.