Kathmandu. 30 defendants convicted in fake Bhutanese refugee case The verdict was pronounced by the Kathmandu District Court today.

The case was filed against 30 persons, including former deputy prime minister Top Bahadur Rayamajhi, former home minister Bal Krishna Khand, then home secretary Tek Narayan Pandey, former lawmaker Angatawa Sherpa and then Home Minister Ram Bahadur Thapa’s security advisor Indrajit Rai on May 23, 2080, on charges of forgery, cheating, organized crime and sedition.

They claim that they have turned Nepali citizens into Bhutanese refugees.

The anti-graft body has filed corruption against middlemen Keshav Dulal, his wife Deepa Humagain, middlemen Sanu Bhandari and Sandesh Sharma, Tanka Kumar Gurung, Mohan Raj Rai, Binita Sawden Limbu, Sagar Rai, Ashish Budhathoki, Niranjan Kumar Kharel, Keshav Tuladhar, Hari Bhakta Maharjan, his wife Laxmi Maharjan, Rajesh Aryal, Sunil Budhathoki, Ram Sharan KC, Ashok Pokharel, Govinda Kumar Chaudhary, Dhiren Rai, Bechan Jha and Bhutanese refugee leader Teknath Rijal ।

A single bench of Judge Tej Bahadur Khadka said the quantum of punishment would be fixed in the next hearing.