The Central Investigation Bureau (CIB) of Nepal Police has launched a money laundering investigation against Yunus Ansari, who was released on Saturday after completing a six-year prison term in a counterfeit Indian currency case.

CIB took Ansari, often described as a kingpin in fake Indian currency networks operating in Nepal, into custody immediately after his release from Nakkhu Prison and is preparing to secure a remand from the court to begin the probe, according to Senior Superintendent of Police Hobindra Bogati. Ansari is scheduled to be presented before the Kathmandu District Court on Sunday.

The CIB formally wrote to the Department of Prison Management on Wednesday, requesting that Ansari be presented for investigation. As soon as he walked free, he was detained based on that request.

Ansari was first arrested on December 28, 2009, with INR 2.54 million in counterfeit notes and was sent to prison a month later. At the time, he was the chairman of National Television.

On September 22, 2010, another cache of INR 4.09 million in fake currency was seized, again linking him to the crime. After serving nearly five years in prison, he was released on October 4, 2013.

He was arrested again on January 24, 2014, with INR 3.5 million in counterfeit notes and later served another prison sentence.

On May 24, 2019, Ansari was caught with INR 76.79 million in fake currency at Tribhuvan International Airport. A court found him guilty and sentenced him to six years in prison, a fine of Rs60,000, and ordered Rs1,300 in compensation. He completed the sentence on Saturday.

Police officials say Ansari faces security threats and remains under high-risk custody due to past murder attempts. In 2011, an Indian man identified as Manmit Bhatiya, alias Manmit Singh, shot at him inside the central prison in an attempted assassination.