Rayamajhi bail hearing deferred in phony refugee scam case - english.makalukhabar.com

KATHMANDU: The hearing on a petition filed by former minister Top Bahadur Rayamajhi, who is currently in custody in connection with the fake Bhutanese refugee scam, has been postponed. The petition was scheduled to be heard on Sunday by a bench of Justices Keshav Prasad Bastola and Deepak Kumar Kharel at the Patan High Court. However, the hearing was deferred after Rayamajhi’s side requested additional time to appoint legal counsel, according to court officials. Earlier, the Kathmandu District Court had ordered Rayamajhi to be remanded in custody. He subsequently challenged the decision at the High Court and later at the Supreme Court. However, all three tiers of the judiciary upheld the order to keep him in detention. After the district court rejected his request for release on bail, Rayamajhi again approached the Patan High Court. Rayamajhi recently filed a fresh plea for release after the CPN-UML recommended him as a candidate from Arghakhanchi for the upcoming House of Representatives election scheduled for Falgun 21.