Pokharel is accused of swindling over Rs 3.9 million from 32 individuals by promising them lucrative jobs in Turkey and Greece, Superintendent of Police Mukesh Kumar Singh of the Metropolitan Crime Division said.

“Upon interrogation, it was revealed that he had swindled as many as 32 individuals on different dates,” Singh told the Post. “After defrauding them, Pokharel had been on the run.”

Pokharel has been sent to the Buddhanagar-based Department of Foreign Employment for further investigation, said Singh.

Fraud cases involving overseas jobs are common in the country, with police receiving hundreds of complaints every year.

According to data from the Nepal Police headquarters, there were 368 cases of fraud across the country in the fiscal year 2016-17. The number rose to 542 in the fiscal year 2017-18. In the fiscal year 2018-19, police registered 627 cases related to fraud.

“Not checking the authenticity of agencies and agents by foreign job aspirants and their lack of knowledge of how to apply for overseas jobs are making them the victims of fraud,” Singh added.