Money laundering probe widens to include inspector Gurung’s boyfriend in APF School fraud case

Police have launched a money laundering investigation against an inspector and her boyfriend, who were arrested in connection with the embezzlement of funds from the Armed Police Force School run in Kirtipur.

The investigation targets the school’s chief accountant, Inspector Kalpana Gurung, and her boyfriend, Lila Bahadur Lama, on charges of money laundering. Police had initially investigated them for fraud and criminal proceeds, but after uncovering large-scale embezzlement, the probe was expanded to include money laundering.

The District Police Range, Kathmandu, has moved forward with the money laundering investigation after the APF Headquarters wrote to it alleging financial irregularities at the school, prompting the range’s team to arrest and investigate the pair.

During the investigation, it was found that Inspector Gurung had given the school’s money to Lila Bahadur. SP and spokesperson Pawan Kumar Bhattarai said vehicles, a house, and land were found registered in Lila Bahadur’s name.

“We have seized two vehicles registered in Lila Bahadur’s name and brought them to our office. A house and land have also been found,” SP Bhattarai says. Police say a third vehicle is also registered in his name, though it has not yet been seized.

Given the scale of assets found under Lila Bahadur’s name, police suspect they may have been purchased with the embezzled school funds and are investigating accordingly. However, police sources say the accused, Lila Bahadur, claims he had acquired the house and land before the embezzlement took place.

Inspector Gurung has reportedly admitted to keeping funds that should have been in the school’s account in her personal account and handing them over to her lover. No embezzled funds have been found in her own name.

“Accountant Gurung has said she gave all the money to Lila Bahadur. Vehicles, a house, and land have been found in the lover’s name,” SP Bhattarai says.

More than 100 million rupees are reported to have been embezzled so far. The matter has been communicated to Armed Police Force Headquarters, though a formal letter is still awaited, and SSP Dilip Ghimire of the range says it will take more time to determine the exact amount embezzled.

Lila Bahadur accused in six prior cases

A check of the Criminal Record System revealed that Lilabahadur, Inspector Gurung’s boyfriend, has been named in six separate criminal cases. The most recent was a banking offence case in 2022.

He also faced a citizenship-related case in 2005, along with three theft cases the same year, one in Lalitpur and two in Kathmandu, and another theft case in Kathmandu in 2004. Despite his record spanning theft, citizenship, and banking offences, Gurung made her boyfriend and is found to have funnelled the school’s money to him.

Lilabahadur has reportedly also been running a travel agency in recent times. Police have now seized two of his vehicles and are proceeding with the investigation.

Accountant’s post held in violation of norms

Under regulations, an accountant’s position should be rotated every two years. However, Gurung had held the accountant post at the same school for six years. She joined the Armed Police Force as an Assistant Sub-Inspector and became the school’s accountant while still holding that rank.

Notably, even after her promotion to Inspector, she was posted back to the same school. This has raised questions about the role of the transferring authority.

“Normally, an accountant is transferred every two years, but she stayed at the same office for six years; this is a clear violation of the transfer norm,” an APF official says.

Previously, the Kirtipur school was headed by a DSP-level commandant; SSP Bhupendra KC was the first to be posted as commandant at that level, and it has since been run by SPs. SP Ramjung Pandey was the most recent commandant before being recalled to headquarters once the investigation began; Lekhnath Khanal has since replaced him.

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