KATHMANDU: The public prosecutor’s counter-argument in the case relating to fake Bhutanese refugees has ended on Friday.

The debate that started last Sunday ended after two weeks.

As the custodial arguments of the lawyers of the 18 defendants who were arrested ended on Thursday, the public prosecutor gave a counter-argument in the case today.

From today’s debate, it will be decided whether those arrested will be sent to prison for pre-trial detention or released.

District Court Kathmandu sources said that the order is likely to come today. Judge Prem Prasad Neupane has been hearing the case.

18 people, including Nepali Congress leader Balkrishna Khan, who is also the former home minister, former deputy prime minister and CPN UML Secretary Top Bahadur Rayamajhi and his son Sandeep, were arrested on charges of being involved in fraud by sending Nepalese citizens as fake Bhutanese refugees to America.

Out of the 30 accused in the case, 12 are still absconding.