Anti-Money Laundering case gone wrong

A man claims 'illegal money' in the US Court, dupes Nepal's finance ministry, foreign ministry and central bank easily and 'gets away' with $1 million, almost.
Its not the case of poor communication between the authorities rather a case of how deep the coruption is rooted in the bureaucracy and how one can 'influnce' the ministries and even the central bank.
Though, the central bank is still silence on the issue, the finance ministry has asked the Nepali embassy in Washington to get the detailed information on the case and forward the report to the US Court that the ministry sent today through courier.
The US Court had asked central bank and finance ministry on the claim of Asim Khatri Chhetri (KC) but the responsible authorities never received the letter.
"It proves that strong lobbying of KC inside the central bank and finance ministry," a senior central bank official said, adding that the letter never reached central bank governor or finance secretary but made its way back to the US Court that gave verdict on the basis of the
However, today the ministry has directed Nepali embassy in washington DC to hold talks with the US authority and clarify the government's stand on the case that is a clear case of money laundering.
In his petition to the US Court, KC had sought retrieval of the money he paid to Wu Lixian, a Chinese national for supplying logistics to the Nepal Army and Nepal Police.
The money was received in 2008 by Nepal Bangladesh Bank, Bhaisepati branch in the account of Chinese national Wu. But the bank suspecting something fishy reported the central bank instead of paying it to him.
"Neither the purchase has been made in Nepal nor the goods were delivered in Nepal," the finance ministry said, adding that the money has been however transferred to Nepal in a Nepali bank. "It is a clear case of Anti-Money Laundering but handled in a most unfortunate way."
But, this time around KC has 'almost' received the money after the US Court in New York issued a verdict in his favour two weeks ago.
Based on the court's verdict, Chase Bank that made the payment on July 14, 2008 had deducted $1 million from an account of Nepal Rastra Bank in New York to make the payment.

Revenue and Anti-Money Laundering Department gets cases
KATHMANDU: After the Anti-Money Laundering Act came into effect, the Revenue and Anti-Money Laundering Department has investigated 62 case. "Of them, three are finalised," said Mahesh Prasad Dahal, director general of the department. "Of the three also, one was fined Rs 600,000 as he could not provide the source of income of Rs 300,000," he said, adding that the remaining two got clean chit from the Special Court.