The Central Investigation Bureau (CIB) has arrested officials of an NGO for allegedly swindling over Rs30 million donations meant for earthquake victims.

President of the Buddhist Janaadhikar Manch-Nepal Sakunsher Chand and General Secretary Amarkanta Chaudhary were arrested on the charge of collecting the amount from several organisations, including Go Fund Me from USA; Shakyamuni Foundation, Malaysia and Mekanni, Dubai, according to SP Dibesh Lohani, an investigating official. “The organisation produced forged documents claiming that they had spent Rs16.7 of the total amount on relief materials,” said Lohani.

The CIB began an investigation following directives from the Home Ministry after a request from the District Administration Office, Kathmandu, where former office bearers of the NGO had lodged a complaint regarding the misappropriation.

After dispute among its members, the president and the general secretary of the NGO began handling all the issues on their own. Even the audits of the financial transaction had been through a firm owned by the husband

of the vice-president of

the organisation, according

to investigating officials.

The CIB is preparing to file a fraud case.

Although this incident is the first case of misappropriation being investigated by the CIB, the DAO Kathmandu said it is looking into six other NGOs after complaints of swindling of funds meant for quake victims.

“This particular case involved a big money. The others involve small funds but we will take necessary actions against anyone found guilty,” said Ram Krishna Subedi, Chief District Officer of Kathmandu. He said action would include scraping of the NGO licence and blacklisting them. Home Ministry Spokesperson Yadav Koirala said they had directed subordinate bodies to prioritise investigation to any complaints related to misuse of funds. “We have adopted zero-tolerance on misuse of funds that were meant for affected people in any forms of disaster,” he said.