Former home minister Bal Krishna Khand, who was remanded to judicial custody for his alleged involvement in the fake Bhutanese refugee case, was released on bail on Friday.

Khand posted Rs3 million bail at Kathmandu District Court as demanded by the Patan High Court. Then, the former home minister was presented before the Department of Money Laundering Investigation and the Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority. The department released Khand on Rs1.5 million bail while the anti-graft body freed him on a general date.

Narahari Ghimire, the CIAA spokesperson, said Khand was released on a general date after the authority recorded his brief statement.

The agencies are investigating him on money laundering and corruption charges in connection with the refugee scam.

The high court on Thursday directed the government to release Khand on Rs3 million bail stating that existing documents don’t prove his direct involvement in the fake Bhutanese refugee scam.

A single bench of judge Krishna Ram Koirala ruled that the district court’s decision to send Khand into judicial custody was unjustified.

Khand’s case was sent to the single bench after a division bench on December 1 couldn't give a unanimous verdict on whether to continue his judicial custody or release him on bail. A division bench of judges Janak Pandey and Prakash Kharel failed to make a unanimous decision as the two judges had differing opinions.

The former home minister and Nepali Congress leader was arrested on May 10 in connection with the fake refugee scam.