CIB nabs Deepak Manange on charges of money laundering

Central Investigation Bureau (CIB) under Nepal Police nabbed the runaway don Rajiv Gurung aka Deepak Manange on the charge of money laundering from the City Centre, in Kathmandu tonight.

The Department of Money Laundering had filed charge sheet against Manange (47) for laundering Rs 147.33 million. "And he was on the run," the CIB said, adding that the notorious gangster will be presented before the court on Sunday.

The Special Court has already filed charged sheets against other suspected money launderers – including Ganesh Lama, Abhishek Giri, Chakre Milan and Krishna Banset aka Parshuram – for amassing illegal property through forceful contracts, ransom and commission from smugglers.

The Department of Money Laundering and Investigation had charged Basnet with Rs 110.1 million, Chakre Milan with Rs 70.8 million and Giri with 20.9 million for illegal earnings that has no legal sources of income.

The department, after its formation to probe the illegal earnings without any regular sources of income, had started probe against the notorious gangsters since last three years, though they had been escaping the department and CIB due to political protection.

The earlier government led by Dr Baburam Bhattarai and his home minister Bijaya Kumar Gachhchhedhar including CPN-UML were blamed for protecting the gangster and obstructing the department and CIB to arrest them.
If convicted by the Special Court, they will face jail terms up to four years and will have to pay fines equivalent to the property they have charged being amessed and the property will also be confiscated.

Nepal has committed to the international community to fight against the flow of dirty money. The Financial Action Task Force (FATF) – the global standard setter for anti-money laundering and countering the financing of terrorism – has published 40+9 recommendations to help combat corruption and illegal flow of dirty money. Politically Exposed Persons (PEPs) including the politically protected dons are in the must watch list of the FATF.