INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
Kathmandu, January 8
The government today deported 122 Chinese arrested on suspicion of financial and cybercrime to China on two aircraft
sent by the Chinese government.
A group of 42 Chinese was deported in Boeing 737 of China Eastern Airlines flight No MU 7176 at 6:23pm,
while 80 left in Airbus 332 of China Southern Airlines flight number CZ 3002 at 7:40pm
Both the planes left for Kunming, the capital of Yunnan province in south-west China.
Yesterday, human rights activists had raised eyebrows
over the deportation, as they said authorities here had got no assurance from the Chinese authorities on the safety of those being sent back
to their home country.
Detained Chinese nationals being taken to Tribhuvan International Airport for deportation to China, on Wednesday,
Photo: Naresh Shrestha/THT
Department of Immigration, however, refutes the claim, saying they were just following regular deportation
procedure under the existing rules, as those arrested were not charged or proven guilty of any serious crime
Eshwor Raj Poudel, director general of DoI, said, &The 122 Chinese were found guilty of indecent behaviour by the District Administration
Acting upon the verdict and complying with the immigration laws, we deported them.&
The 122 Chinese were arrested on December 23 from nine
houses in Kathmandu in a raid led by the Central Investigation Bureau of Nepal Police
Police arrested them on suspicion of cyber and financial crime, but they were later charged with indecent behaviour as they could not gather
evidences to substantiate other charges.
Chief District Officer of Kathmandu Janakraj Dahal set them free on January 5, slapping each of
Police then handed them over to the Department of Immigration in a bid to deport them.
The DoI imposed a fine of Rs 1,000 each on 34 of
those arrested with valid travel documents for engaging in activities restricted by Nepal immigration laws
Those who did not possess any travel document were fined Rs 2,000 each and were provided with travel documents by DoI to fly to China.
All
122 of them have been banned from travelling to Nepal for four years.
The arrest and deportation of the 122 Chinese is shrouded in mystery
Police had earlier claimed that they were arrested on suspicion of cyber and financial crime, but said later that they were being detained
for not &acting like tourists& and engaging in activities barred by Nepal immigration laws.
At a press conference organised three days after
the arrest of the Chinese, the CIB said those arrested were involved in swindling money from rich, single and divorced women using online
Other police sources said they were running an illegal online gambling racket, operating Ponzi scheme and blackmailing Chinese by hacking
private information from their phones and computers.
Deportation of 122 Chinese set for today
Arrested Chinese to be deported by
tomorrow
Detained 122 Chinese nationals likely to be deported
Arrested Chinese remanded to 5-day police custody
122 Chinese suspected of
cyber, financial crime held
Around 100 Chinese passport holders detained for suspicious activities
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detainees appeared first on The Himalayan Times.
