CIB Probes Attempt to Defraud Insurance Payout Using Forged Documents and Deceased Migrant’s Identity

Kathmandu – The Central Investigation Bureau (CIB) of Nepal Police has launched a formal investigation into a case involving forged documents and collusion between a government employee and a husband seeking to fraudulently claim insurance money in the name of a deceased migrant worker.

The case came to light following a letter from the Foreign Employment Board, which suspected irregularities in an insurance claim. The investigation revealed that a group led by Pashupati Adhikari, a former technical deputy subba at the board, attempted to claim Rs. 1 million in insurance benefits in the name of Soma Thing, a woman from Roshi Rural Municipality-10, Kavrepalanchok, who had committed suicide in Banepa in 2079 after returning from foreign employment.

According to CIB sources, Adhikari, who previously served as a computer operator at the Foreign Employment Board until Chaitra 2079, was already found guilty of embezzlement during a separate investigation by the Kathmandu Valley Crime Investigation Office. Despite having served a sentence, he was later employed at the Ministry of Labor, Employment and Social Security and allegedly continued engaging in fraudulent activities.

In the latest case, Adhikari colluded with Soma Thing’s husband, Kancharam Tamang, and other accomplices to forge documents, including a letter from the rural municipality, a fake immigration record, and a falsified work permit. The forged documents falsely stated that Soma had died abroad of old age, even though records confirmed she died by suicide after returning home.

The scam was exposed when the Foreign Employment Board, suspicious of inconsistencies in the documentation, directly contacted the rural municipality. The municipality confirmed that the documents were forged and that the insurance claim was invalid, as Soma Thing had died inside Nepal and not while working abroad, which is a basic eligibility requirement for compensation from the Board.

CIB has detained Kancharam Tamang and several others involved in the conspiracy, including Nirkumar Malla, Mohan Nepali, Ram Bahadur Tamang, and Ram Bahadur Nepali. Investigators believe Nirkumar Malla, a known associate of Adhikari, coached Kanchharam on how to exploit the system using his deceased wife’s identity.

Police also suspect the involvement of several employees from the board’s registration and billing section, three of whom were summoned for questioning on Tuesday. The employees have claimed they were unaware of the fraud and misled by Adhikari.

Notably, during a similar incident in 2079, Adhikari had embezzled insurance money without notifying the deceased’s family. Although he was arrested and a settlement was later reached through a government prosecutor, he faced no long-term consequences. Authorities now believe that leniency in the past emboldened him to orchestrate further frauds.

The Foreign Employment Board clarified that it does not have legal jurisdiction to prosecute such cases and has forwarded the matter to police. Investigations are ongoing, and police expect more revelations following further interrogation of board employees.