Following a tip-off, Damak police arrested a local woman involved in conning Nepali youths with promises of sending them to the western countries by registering them as “Bhutanese refugees”.
Police named the alleged cheater as Atija Paudel, a local woman of Damak-13, who already earned a lot of money by conning some 15 Nepali youths in the name of third country resettlement of the Bhutanese refugees.
“The investigation has revealed she was able to lure at least 15 youths making them pay up to Rs 1.5 million from each individual,” a local reported quoted Police Inspector Nabin Karki as saying to local media, Sunday.
Meanwhile, the accused woman expressed surprise over why she was arrested stating she has clearly told those youths that their money would be refunded incase she failed to resettle them.
According to Paudel, she even lodged those youths in a hotel for a month to teach them the basic “interview techniques” applied by the United Nation High Commissioner for Refugees and International Organization for Migration.
“A number of agents are active in the business that I am involved with,” Paudel told reporters, confessing the fraud. However, she refused to elaborate it.
This is an open secret to all.This is not the first time.The UN agencies must be aware of this.Why they have not been able to stop this kind of fraud? People in the camps are not happy with the UN agencies.Their processes have been delayed and held for years now.Those who signed the interest form in 2008 are still here in the camps.Proper investigation is needed as early as possible and those who are involved in this kind of fraud should be brought under the rule of law.The Nepalese employees in UNHCR and IOM need to be investigated.They have a big share in this regard.
the core countries has to deport if they found non Bhutanese. we r goin to helo the respective government in these case coz we know who r non Bhutanese.
If you have any non bhutanese resettled then, why cant Bhutanese organisation of the respective place take an action. There must be a cross and balance check. personally, I urge respective organisations of Bhutanese around the globe to be fair enough to say that this is Bhutanese from the bhutanese refugee camps and this is made Bhutanese from outside. If we check in this way than we may be able to fear to those who have been involving business. My request to the respective organisations to come up with such ideas and propogandas.
Regards,
Jay Bhutan,
Tshiring
The only thing that came to my mind after I read the news is “what next”? do you seriously think that these stunts were literally underground till today?
Ajita claims that there are ‘a number of agents’. How many ?? And what of them??
I will not be surprised if I do not hear anything further in this case, even though agencies like IOM and UNHCR are involved. It is NEPAL frens…!
It is already late to come out such news of conning non Bhutanese and making fake documents and sending them to western country.There are lots of miscrents already involed in such activities. Even the staff working in the IOM are involved indirectly.They are simply delaying the case of the real Bhutanese who have shown interest to opt third county Resettlement with no reason.
Innocent Bhutanese are cheated, ignore and delayed their case.IOM should take decessive action in such anti activities in the organisation. We will be supporting IOM to find out non Bhutanese who have rettled already in US.If anyone is found please let us inform IOM in Nepal.
Let IOM not bereft real Bhutanese opportunity.
we don’t beg excuse to those culprit anyhow.
dear friends,
it is a universal truth. if i am right, i have a doubt on A’s arrestment by Nepal police. There might be a very good role of UNHCR staffs. The staffs are cunning and over smart.
Ajita’s arrest must be hailed. It could lead to important clues to the racket that is operating in Damak. We knew, officials from HMG, IOM (those who are Nepalese) are involved big way. Who and how many? What is IOM or UNHCR’s reaction to those Nepalese who have already resettled as Bhutanese refugees?
Its is an opportunity for the Nepal government to save its face, if it want to.
Ajita will loose some money and the CDO will make some money. The trade must have begun already. That is NEPAL.
its not a big deal,simply she is dealing with the nepalese corrupted culture.corruption,conning,cheating is just like promoting illegal anti-social activities in NEPAL.Ajita along with her supporting team should be punished under UN law.
Picture speaks a lot. Look at it once again, how she is claded with ornamentations. My god! Nepali woman, can you imagine? It’s free money.
I suppose there should be complete team from all the share holders in this mafia including some Bhutanese also. Each of the enforcing body gets a dividend in the operation as per the responsibility. I heard some of the senior leaders had sold Bhutanese citizenship card of many innocent people to Nepalese nationality thereby making huge black money during the establishment period itself. Same leaderships continue their expertise and had campaigned against TCR and such below marginalizing people trusted such ill- hearted leaders. But once the truth is revealed then I think situation may be beyond anybody’s control. So there started red light time.
I think media is neutral and did commendable job. At high level risk they exposed the reality. Should I feel pity for the ones who submitted the money to the brokers? No absolutely no. How dare they can trust and make such a huge deal in the backdoor? They too used the money that is being looted taking the advantage of fragile situation and transitional phase of Nepal.
UNHCR and IOM should take this matter very seriously and sentence the culprit to the extreme degree. This is not the deed to be carried by human being.
The arrest of Mrs Ajita poudel is a tip of ice berg in the avalances of corrupt practice of luring Nepalis and sending them abroad as Bhutanese refugees by the corrupted Nepalis.The Bhutanese refugees tag has become very coveted to Nepalis specially after the start of third country resettleemnt which before it were a down graded tag and considered by all Nepalis a socialtaboo.Nowadays beautiful wealthy Nepali girls are ever ready to marry to any Bhutanese male who once were spited as below dignity living under the roof of transparent tarpaulin hut.Least to say about the Nepali boys. They are so crazy that even they are ready for a contract marriage just to go to third country where the pasture is greenerand better fortune they see.
The arrest of Mrs poudel is not an exceptional case. Before this too many were arrested as recently as a couple of months ago, three persons were arrested in Kathmandu who were faking the Refugee cards and documents and sending Nepalis as Bhutanese refugees to third country resettlement. It was reported that, they had already sent 5/7 Nepalis posing as Bhutanese refugees. The surprising thing is that we hear about the arrest and never about the action.More then a year ago, Kantipur reporter in a sting operation high lighted the case of the president of the civil society G.P Dhungyel involved in sending Nepalis on Bhutanese document to abroad where reportedly T. N. Rizal, Bal Ram Pwdyel, whole gamut of BPP were involved with him. There was no action on them either by the Nepal government or by the core countries for Bhutanese refugees.Mrs Poudel has rightly pointed that she is not only one to do such human business.She definitely mean there are scores. And it cannot be possible without the connivance of insatiable greedy people working in UNHCR,IOM, RCU, Immigration office in the International airport in Kathmandu and some intances some Bhutanese parties and organizations including T.N.Rizal.
In the case of Mrs poudel, her supposed to be ex-husband divorced two years ago but reportedly still living together is working in the office of IOM, Damak. There is no doubt that she was working in nexus with him, who was pasing all the information about the methology of IOM interview and process, UNHCR case study and manupulating documents in the office. There is enough room for question that the divorce was just the drama to protect the business as it happened just two years ago at the pick of the resettlement process after all their social and biological bond is still in tact. After all in Nepal possible is impossible and impossible is possible.
There also many rumours that the UNHCR and IOM Nepali officials had taken and is taking bribe from Bhutanese refugees in order to process the resettlement fast.The refugees those who have paid if any know the best. But the UNHCR and IOM remained and remaining blind as long as there objective of resettlement process goes on unhindered thus aiding and abeting such a in famous activiites of the officials which in fact is shame to the organizations.Some of the commentors have rightly mentioned that depriving the oppertunity to genuine refugees for resettlement fast and in some case giving lots of harassment.Refugees are milching Holsten jersey to Nepali officials in rank and file and to the police and security forces.What we can say except seek the mercy of the God and remain a mute observer. Who listens to Bhutanese refugees? Perhaps if our words were heard and actions were taken promptly, we would have been to our country-Bhutan instead of third countries. May God bless us.
The Bhutanese members should refrain from saying anything on this matter. There is no need for any to identify who are non-Bhutanese and point fingers against the few high aspiring individuals. The Bhutan-Nepal bilateral talks began and conducted several rounds in absence of the stake holders (affected Bhutanese in the UNHCR administered camps in Nepal and others in India). The TCR program, however benign and generous looking picked up in the name of the Bhutanese Refugees without the involvement of the refugee community.
The image of the real Bhutanese will be affected only in the repatriation program if non-Bhutanese are included for this job as many Bhutanese at home can identify their neighbors and relatives they missed for two decades. As long as this front remains closed, why should the Bhutanese bother who is benefiting in the program intended for their welfare? It is like the case of the JANTIS availing the BHOJ in their marriages and other social functions! Let IOM, UNHCR and GoN deal with this issue.
It is all due to the Nepali staff working in IOM $ UNHCR.This people work in close patnership with her.
we all the bhutanese refugee who were resettled in different countries are very much upset hearing this news.we would like to request IOM and UNHCR TO INVESTIGATE THIS CASE as soon as possible and also give serious punishment to her and other who r involving in blackmailing.right now it is clear that due to this, activities many of the refugee those who are interested to resettled are too much back.lastly i would like to request UNHCR and IOM that these both agencies should fire all the nepali IOM staff as far as possible…….if not than again……………………
we all the bhutanese refugee who were resettled in different countries are very much upset hearing this news.we would like to request IOM and UNHCR TO INVESTIGATE THIS CASE as soon as possible and also give serious punishment to her and other who r involving in blackmailing.right now it is clear that due to this, activities many of the refugee those who are interested to resettled are too much back.lastly i would like to request UNHCR and IOM that these both agencies should fire all the nepali IOM staff as far as possible.
I being a Bhutanese Nepali American people may thing that Rohit will write negative of this lady, but I am the one who love courage since she changes impossibe to possible. she is not doing corruption but according to me she is the social worker since she is helping her community people to come USA. thanks a lot.
It is because of Corrupted IOM works and our own people how are involve for the money to sell simple people of our Refugee camp. God will judge them in the day of judgment, don’t worry guys.
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“The investigation has revealed she was able to lure at least 15 youths making them pay up to Rs 1.5 million from each individual,” is unacceptable for the time being. Is it not those 15 youths were willing to pay her up to Rs 1.5 million each to get resettled under “TCR program” inaugurated and operated for the Bhutanese Refugees?
Ideally speaking, what is wrong in the whole process or what is the cause of the very process itself? The fault/consequences must bounce to the cause rather than to the process itself that is only part of the effect…
Ram Khadka aspiring God’s vengeance against the defaulters is only partially right. For, in my view God will judge the world for not believing the Gospel and rejecting His Salvation provided in the person of His only begotten Son Jesus Christ that they have killed instead rather than for petty issues of nationalities and consequent iniquities in them that are secondary issues. In the eyes of God on the Day of Judgment, if a man/woman is found to have manipulated to change the Bhutanese Refugees into Nepalese and sent that many numbers of Nepalese abroad as “Bhutanese Refugees” and yet have believed in the Gospel and honored His Son as they honor the Father, he/she shall be acquitted the unbearable punishment of the eternal hell fire. Think on it well, Ram…
You stole words from you lips Anna Hazzare! You can say that again and again. I know fact can be bitter but more than the woman our ‘thuday netas’ have sold and resold not only original documents but their signatures and party’s names to hundreds if not thousands of non-Bhutanese- not only from Nepal but from foreign land too.
Not only TN & Balaram but the lists can be endless- what about YP, Durga Giri, Purna Basnet and many more. And the most disgusting fact is-these people did such heinous act when the Bhutanese people whole heartedly supported them and believed them as their saviours.