The Kathmandu District Court has extended the judicial custody of former home minister and Nepali Congress leader Bal Krishna Khand for four days to investigate his involvement in the Bhutanese refugee scam.

The court had granted the Kathmandu Police Circle permission to extend Khand’s custody to further investigate the matter, said Joint Attorney Achyutmani Neupane.

The former home minister was arrested from his Mainjubahal-based residence on Wednesday by a team deployed from Kathmandu Police Circle for his alleged involvement in the scam where many Nepalis were swindled out of millions of rupees in return for sending them to the United States as Bhutanese refugees.

Likewise, Police also arrested Khand’s personal aide Narendra KC in connection to the case later on the day.

The arrests came after Tek Narayan Pandey, currently a secretary at the Office of the Vice President and former home secretary, allegedly implicated the duo in the refugee scam.

Police have so far arrested 12 people, including Pandey, who was appointed by Khand when he was leading the Home Ministry.