कर्णाली डेभलपमेन्ट बैंकका पूर्व सीईओ राजेन्द्रवीर राय पक्राउ, अपचलन प्रकरणमा अनुसन्धान तीव्रFormer CEO of Karnali Development Bank, Rajendraveer Raya, Arrested Over Multi-Billion Embezzlement Scandal
नेपालगञ्ज – झण्डै पाँच अर्ब रुपैयाँ बराबरको अपचलन प्रकरणमा संलग्न ठहरिएका कर्णाली डेभलपमेन्ट बैंकका पूर्व प्रमुख कार्यकारी अधिकृत (सीईओ) राजेन्द्रवीर रायलाई प्रहरीले नियन्त्रणमा लिएको छ।
प्रहरीका अनुसार रायलाई शनिबार नेपाल–भारत सीमावर्ती क्षेत्रबाट पक्राउ गरिएको हो। केन्द्रीय अनुसन्धान ब्यूरो (CIB) को टोलीले सीमामा निगरानीका क्रममा उनलाई पक्रेको पुष्टि गरेको छ।
सल्यान स्थायी घर भएका राय पछिल्लो समय बाँकेको नेपालगञ्ज उपमहानगरपालिका–२० मा बसोबास गर्दै आएका थिए। उनी २०७६ देखि २०७९ सम्म बैंकको सीईओको जिम्मेवारीमा थिए। कर्णाली डेभलपमेन्ट बैंक सन् २०६० सालमा स्थापना भएको हो।
बैंकको आन्तरिक लेखापरीक्षण तथा अनुसन्धानमा रायसहित बैंकका पूर्व अधिकारीहरू– वित्त विभाग प्रमुख बेदप्रकाश ठकुरी, पूर्व सीईओ दिनेशकुमार रावत र निरजविक्रम शाहसमेत ठूलो रकमको अनियमिततामा संलग्न भएको प्रारम्भिक संकेत भेटिएको बताइएको छ।
सोही अपचलन प्रकरण सार्वजनिक भएपछि राय सम्पर्कविहीन बनेका थिए। लामो समयदेखि फरार रहेका उनलाई अब कानुनी प्रक्रियाअनुसार बाँकेमा ल्याएर अनुसन्धान अघि बढाइने प्रहरीले जनाएको छ।
हाल बैंकको संचालन नेपाल राष्ट्र बैंकको प्रत्यक्ष निगरानीमा रहेको छ। वित्तीय अनुशासन र पारदर्शितामा प्रश्न उठाउने यो घटनाले नियामक निकाय र बैंकिङ क्षेत्रमा सुधारको आवश्यकता देखाएको विश्लेषकहरूले बताएका छन्।
Nepalgunj – In a major financial misconduct case, Rajendraveer Raya, the former CEO and founding chairperson of Karnali Development Bank, has been taken into custody by the Central Investigation Bureau (CIB) of Nepal Police.
Authorities confirmed that Raya was apprehended near the Nepal–India border on Saturday. While the arrest was officially made from the border point, sources suggest that he may have been captured inside Indian territory.
Originally from Salyan district, the 65-year-old Raya had been residing in Nepalgunj-20 in recent years. He served as the CEO of Karnali Development Bank between 2019 and 2022 (2076–2079 BS). The bank itself has been operational since 2003 (2060 BS).
Internal investigations carried out by the bank have revealed that approximately NPR 4.90 billion (around 49 crore rupees) was embezzled during Raya’s tenure. The probe has also implicated several other senior officials, including former CEO Dinesh Kumar Rawat, finance head Bed Prakash Thakuri, and Niraj Bikram Shah.
Raya had been on the run since the irregularities came to light. With his arrest, police are now set to transfer him to Banke district for further legal proceedings and to seek an extension of his custody.
At present, Karnali Development Bank is under the direct supervision of Nepal Rastra Bank. The central bank had stepped in due to concerns over financial mismanagement and institutional failure.
This incident has once again brought attention to the critical need for stronger governance and accountability within Nepal’s banking sector.
