Police have found serious anomalies in the foreign employment sector, with officials from the Department of Foreign Employment involved in irregularities.

Take this for instance: A migrant worker was rescued by the Metropolitan Police Crime Division (MPCD) on Monday from Tribhuvan International Airport. She was set to leave for Dubai with a passport in which he had “re-entry” visa. But he was found to be travelling to Dubai for the first time. Also, another woman was rescued from the TIA, who was on her way to Oman without work permit.

Both the women said they had paid Rs 20,000 to Rs 30,000 “to get their papers done”.  

Police said such cases were not possible without the involvement of officials from DoFE.

Police have arrested some foreign employment entrepreneurs as well, who could have worked in cahoots with DoFE officials to send Nepalis abroad illegally.

Sushil Shakya is one of the arrestees. He used to work at the DoFE as a computer operator and was suspended by the Commission for Investigation of Abuse of Authority. Other arrestees are Dil Kumar Limbu, 45, of Terhathum; Rajesh Dhakal, 45, of Biratnagar; Nir Prasad Dhakal, 34, of Jhapa; Phanindra Tamang, 34, of Jhapa; Binod Karki, 38, of Morang.

On Monday, the MPCD carried out a flurry of raids as well. Minister for Labour Deepak Bohora was present when police raided Tahachal-based Labour Village. Police have seized computers of the Labour Village. Himalaya Red-Panda Travel, King Akbar Tour and Travel, City Tour and Travel, International Trade Links and Asian Rays Medicare Centre were other organisations which were raided by police. Police recovered counterfeit holograms during the raids.

“We will now focus our investigation to find out whether government officials are involved in such irregularities,” said SSP Sarbendra Khanal, chief of MPCD. Police investigations in the past have shown misuse of holograms and work permits by the DoFE.

“There is widespread use of fake medical reports, labour stickers and training certificates with original holograms. It has made it difficult for us to differentiate between fake and original documents,” said an official at DoFE.