Monday, February 23rd, 2026

Efforts underway to extradite fake Bhutanese refugee Ashok Pokharel from America to Nepal



KATHMANDU: The police have initiated efforts to repatriate Ashok Pokharel, who fraudulently entered the United States posing as a Bhutanese refugee, back to Nepal.

The police have made Pokharel of Biratnagar a fugitive defendant.

It is worth mentioning that the police conducted an investigation into the fake Bhutanese refugee scheme and subsequently submitted the investigation report to the district prosecutor’s office on Monday.

Along with Pokharel, 14 other people have been made fugitive defendants by the police.

The police have also written to the United States Embassy in Kathmandu seeking its support to bring Pokharel back to Nepal.

According to the police, it has been revealed that Pokharel reached America as a fake Bhutanese refugee before 2016.

The police claim that he was active in influencing the victims even in the fake refugee fraud case.

According to the police, Prateek Thapa, son of the then Home Minister Ram Bahadur Thapa Badal, and Niraj Rai, son of his adviser Indrajit Rai, are absconding.

Similarly, Keshav Tuladhar, Hari Bhakta Maharjan, Rajesh Aryal, Laxmi Maharjan, Dhiren Maharjan, Dipa Humagain, Mohan Rai, Sunil Budhathoki, Binita Limbu, Niranjan Kharel and Ashish Budhathoki are also absconding, police said.

Publish Date : 23 May 2023 13:44 PM

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