Mahendra Jung Shah, a Nepali national suspected of ISIS links, was arrested by Malaysian police based on a forgery complaint lodged by Nepali Embassy in Kuala Lumpur, Nepali ambassdaor to Malaysia has said.

Niranjan Man Singh Basnet said that Shah had a history of fraud in Malaysia where he duped at least 150 people. “Among them, 36 were Nepalis,” Basnet told the Post over the phone from Kuala Lumpur. “We had requested the Malaysian authorities to book the person.”

Basnet, however, said they only learnt about his alleged link with ISIS after Inspector General of Malaysian Police Khalid Abu Bakar revealed that at a press conference on September 20. “We are trying to confirm this particular ISIS issue with authorities here,” he said. “From what we have read in the news here, the IGP claimed that Shah had arranged forged visas to foreigners, at least two of whom were found to be members of an international terrorist organisation.”

It is learnt that the embassy had informed local police about the forgery issue in February, about six months before Shah’s arrest on August 19. Media reports suggest that the 38-year-old Nepali was running businesses in Malaysia before being arrested on August 19.

Shah was “suspected to be involved in falsifying travel documents for international terrorists,” Singapore’s The Strait TImes said, quoting the Malaysian police chief.

Shah, however, claimed he had been framed by Ambassador Basnet. 

Based on an email from Nepali embassy in Malaysia, police arrested Shah upon his arrival in Kathmandu on September 3. He was released on Rs6,000 bail after 11 days of police investigation could not find any evidence to substantiate the charges.