दुई महिनादेखि थुनामा भट्ट र शुलभ, अनुसन्धान अन्तिम चरणमाTwo Months Behind Bars: Bhatt and Shulabh Remain in Custody as Money Laundering Probe Enters Final Stage
काठमाडौं — सम्पत्ति शुद्धीकरण कसुरको आरोपमा पक्राउ परेका व्यवसायी दीपक भट्ट र जगदम्बा स्टिलका अध्यक्ष शुलभ अग्रवाललाई प्रहरीको थुनामा राखिएको दुई महिना पुगेको छ। यो अवधिमा शुलभको स्वास्थ्य बिग्रिँदै गएको र उनलाई पटकपटक अस्पताल भर्ना गर्नुपरेको विभागीय सूत्रले जानकारी दिएको छ।
सम्पत्ति शुद्धीकरण विभाग मातहतको केन्द्रीय अनुसन्धान ब्युरो (सीआईबी) ले चैत १८ मा ललितपुरबाट भट्टलाई पक्राउ गरेको थियो। त्यसको दुई दिनपछि चैत २० मा शंकर ग्रुपका अध्यक्ष शंकरलाल अग्रवाललाई पनि पक्राउ गरिएको थियो। बयान लिएपछि शंकरलाललाई हाजिरी जमानीमा रिहा गरिए पनि उनका छोरा शुलभलाई भने चैत २१ देखि थुनामा नै राखिएको छ।
सम्पत्ति शुद्धीकरण विभागसँग आफ्नै थुनुवा कक्ष नभएकाले भट्ट र शुलभ दुवैलाई प्रहरी हिरासतमा राख्नुपरेको हो। हाल भट्टलाई प्रहरी वृत्त बौद्धमा र शुलभलाई जिल्ला प्रहरी परिसर ललितपुरमा राखिएको छ। भट्टलाई यो अवधिमा तीन ठाउँ सारिएको छ — सुरुमा प्रहरी प्रभाग पुल्चोक, त्यसपछि प्रहरी प्रभाग सानेपा र अहिले प्रहरी वृत्त बौद्धमा राखिएको हो।
हिरासतमा विशेष सुविधा दिएको आशंका, प्रधानमन्त्री कार्यालयको छानबिन
थुनामा रहेका भट्ट र शुलभलाई अन्य थुनुवाभन्दा फरक व्यवहार गरी थप सुविधा दिइएको आशंकामा प्रधानमन्त्री कार्यालयको टोली र विभागको टोलीले उनीहरू राखिएको हिरासतमा छड्के जाँच गरेको थियो। प्रधानमन्त्री कार्यालयले यस विषयमा छुट्टै छानबिन पनि अघि बढाइरहेको जानकारी पाइएको छ।
हिमालयन बैंकको ऋण विवाद केन्द्रमा
विभागको अनुसन्धान अनुसार हिमालयन बैंकबाट जगदम्बा स्टिलका नाममा लिइएको ऋणमध्ये करिब ४३ करोड रुपैयाँ दीपक भट्टको खातामा पुगेको देखिएको छ। यही सिलसिलामा शंकर ग्रुप र भट्ट एकअर्कासँग जोडिएका हुन्। यसका अतिरिक्त विभागले हिमालयन रि–इन्स्योरेन्स कम्पनीको सेयर सम्बन्धमा पनि अनुसन्धान जारी राखेको छ।
शुलभको स्वास्थ्य चिन्ताजनक, मानसिक वार्डमा भर्ना
लामो समय हिरासतमा बस्नुपरेपछि शुलभको स्वास्थ्यमा गम्भीर समस्या देखिन थालेको छ। विभागले उनलाई पटकपटक पाटन अस्पताल भर्ना गरेको छ। एक हप्ता मानसिक वार्डमा राखिएका शुलभलाई दुई दिनअघि मात्र डिस्चार्ज गरिएको पाटन अस्पतालका निर्देशक रवि शाक्यले पुष्टि गरे।
शाक्यले भने, '११ दिन भर्ना भएर बस्नुभएको हो, दुई दिन अघि मात्रै डिस्चार्ज गरेका हौँ।'
मानसिक वार्डबाट डिस्चार्ज भएको २४ घण्टा नपुग्दै स्वास्थ्यमा पुनः समस्या देखिएपछि सोमबार साँझ शुलभलाई फेरि पाटन अस्पताल भर्ना गरिएको थियो। मंगलबार बिहान अस्पतालले डिस्चार्ज गरेपछि उनलाई पुनः थुनामा लगिएको छ। यस विषयमा ललितपुर प्रहरीले औपचारिक जानकारी दिन भने अस्वीकार गरेको छ।
अनुसन्धान अन्तिम चरणमा : महानिर्देशक ढकाल
सम्पत्ति शुद्धीकरण विभागका महानिर्देशक निर्मल ढकालले अनुसन्धान अन्तिम चरणमा पुगेको जानकारी दिए।
ढकालले भने, 'हामीले शुलभसहितका आरोपीको अनुसन्धान गरिनै राखेका छौँ, अब अन्तिम चरणमा पुगेको छ। अस्पताल भर्ना गर्ने कुरा पनि अनुसन्धानकै चरण हो।'
कोभिडकालमा पनि विवादमा परेका थिए शुलभ
शुलभ यसअघि पनि विवादमा तानिएका व्यवसायी हुन्। कोभिड महामारीको समयमा 'थर्मल गन'को कालो बजारी गरेको आरोपमा २०७६ चैत २५ मा उपत्यका अपराध अनुसन्धान कार्यालयको टोलीले उनलाई नक्सालबाट पक्राउ गरेको थियो। सस्तो मूल्यमा ल्याइएको थर्मल गन १५ हजार रुपैयाँसम्म बेचेको आरोपमा उनी त्यतिबेला २४ दिन प्रहरीको थुनामा बस्नुपरेको थियो।
KATHMANDU — Two months have passed since businessman Deepak Bhatt and Jagdamba Steel chairman Shulabh Agrawal were taken into police custody on money laundering charges, and neither man has been released. As the investigation stretches on, Shulabh's health has deteriorated sharply, forcing authorities to hospitalise him multiple times — including a week-long stay in a psychiatric ward.
The Central Investigation Bureau (CIB) of Nepal Police arrested Bhatt on Chaitra 18 from Lalitpur on suspicion of money laundering. Two days later, on Chaitra 20, Shankar Group chairman Shankarlal Agrawal was also taken into custody. Shankarlal was released on bail after recording his statement, but his son Shulabh, arrested a day later on Chaitra 21, remains in detention to this day.
Because the Department of Money Laundering Investigation does not have its own detention facility, both Bhatt and Shulabh have been held in police custody throughout the investigation. Bhatt is currently held at the Police Circle Bouddha, while Shulabh is being kept at the District Police Office in Lalitpur. Bhatt has been moved between three different locations during his detention — first to Police Division Pulchowk, then to Police Division Sanepa, and finally to his current location at Police Circle Bouddha. Shulabh, by contrast, has remained at the Lalitpur Police Office since his arrest.
Prime Minister's Office Launches Separate Inquiry Over Alleged Preferential Treatment
Suspicions that the two detainees were being given special privileges not accorded to ordinary prisoners prompted both the Department of Money Laundering Investigation and a team from the Prime Minister's Office to conduct surprise inspections of the detention facilities. The Prime Minister's Office has since initiated a separate inquiry into the matter, officials confirmed.
Rs 430 Million Trail Leads to Bhatt Through Jagdamba Steel
At the heart of the case is a loan taken from Himalayan Bank in the name of Jagdamba Steel, of which approximately Rs 430 million is reported to have been traced into accounts belonging to Deepak Bhatt — a financial trail that directly links him to the Shankar Group. The department has also confirmed that a parallel investigation is underway into share transactions involving Himalayan Reinsurance Company.
Shulabh Hospitalised Repeatedly, Spent Week in Psychiatric Ward
The prolonged detention has taken a visible toll on Shulabh Agrawal. The Department of Money Laundering Investigation has admitted him to Patan Hospital on multiple occasions. His most recent stay lasted eleven days, including time in the psychiatric ward, before he was discharged two days ago.
Patan Hospital Director Ravi Shakya confirmed the hospitalisation, saying, "He was admitted for eleven days. We discharged him just two days ago."
However, within twenty-four hours of his discharge from the psychiatric ward, Shulabh's condition deteriorated again. He was readmitted to Patan Hospital on Monday evening, only to be discharged again on Tuesday morning and returned to police custody. Lalitpur Police has declined to provide any official comment on the matter.
Department Director General Nirmal Dhakal, speaking on the progress of the case, said the investigation is now in its final stages.
"We have been continuously investigating Shulabh and the other accused. We are now in the final phase. He is in police custody. The matter of hospitalisation is also part of the investigation process — let us not speak further on that," Dhakal said.
A History of Controversy: Thermal Gun Black Market During COVID
This is not the first time Shulabh Agrawal has found himself on the wrong side of the law. During the COVID-19 pandemic, he was arrested on Chaitra 25, 2076, by a team from the Valley Crime Investigation Office after being accused of black-marketeering temperature screening guns. He had allegedly imported the devices at low cost and sold them for as much as Rs 15,000 each, exploiting the public health crisis for profit. He spent twenty-four days in police custody in connection with that case before being released.
With the current investigation now said to be approaching its conclusion, the coming weeks are expected to bring greater clarity on what prosecutors intend to charge both men with — and whether the months of detention will translate into formal prosecution.
