KATHMANDU: CPN-UML leader Top Bahadur Rayamazhi and Nepali Congress leader Bal Krishna Khand, have filed an appeal at the Patan High Court seeking their release from detention in the Bhutanese refugee case.

Both Rayamajhi and Khand are among the individuals who have been implicated in the fraudulent Bhutanese refugee case.

In addition to them, former Secretary Tek Narayan Pandey, former lawmaker Angtawa Sherpa, Keshav Dulal, Bhutanese leader Teknath Rijal, and others have also lodged appeals for their release.

Patan High Court Registrar Thagindra Kattel confirmed that the defendants who were in custody filed a writ petition against the order of the Kathmandu District Court.

The Kathmandu District Court Judge Prem Prasad Neupane had previously ordered 16 out of the 18 people initially arrested in this case to be sent to jail.

18 people, including Khand and Rayamajhi, were arrested on charges of being involved in fraud by sending Nepalese citizens as fake Bhutanese refugees to America.