Police on Wednesday arrested former home minister and Nepali Congress leader Bal Krishna Khand in connection with the fake Bhutanese refugee scam.

A team of Kathmandu Police Circle arrested Khand from his residence in Mainjubahal 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, the police also arrested Khand’s personal aide Narendra KC in connection with the scam.

Read: Concerns grow over Nepal’s global image after Bhutanese refugee scam

The arrests come after Tek Narayan Pandey, currently a secretary at the vice-presedent’s office and former home secretary, allegedly implicated the duo in the refugee scam.

Khand and KC are being detained at Metropolitan Police Circle in Teku.

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

On Tuesday, two individuals Govinda Chaudhary of Siraha and Ram Sharan KC of Kathmandu were arrested from the Capital in connection with the case.

Read: Editorial: Manufacturing refugees

Earlier, the police had arrested Indrajit Rai, who served as security adviser to the then home minister Ram Bahadur Thapa for his active role in helping Nepalis forge documents in order for their emigration to the United States as Bhutanese refugees.

The police have also arrested Keshav Dulal, Sanu Bhandari, Sagar Thulung Rai, Tanka Gurung and Sandesh Sharma Pokhrel as the suspected prime accused in the case. All of them had strong political connections.

Meanwhile, CPN-UML Secretary and former deputy prime minister Top Bahadur Rayamajhi has been absconding since May 4 after Kathmandu District Court issued an arrest warrant against him and his son. Police have already nabbed his son, Sandeep.

The Kathmandu District Court on Sunday extended the custody of eight people, who were arrested for their alleged involvement in the scam.

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