Nepal’s district court in Kathmandu sentences two former ministers for their roles in a fake refugee document scheme, alongside 14 other convicted defendants. According to multiple reports, former Deputy Prime Minister and Energy Minister Top Bahadur Rayamajhi is jailed for four years, while Bal Krishna Khand, described as the home minister in one account, receives a two-year prison term. The cases stem from allegations that Nepali nationals were falsely presented as Bhutanese refugees to support resettlement in the United States. Authorities begin investigating in 2023 after uncovering claims that Nepali citizens posed as refugees using fabricated or fraudulent documentation. The court also convicts 14 others and issues prison sentences for their participation in the alleged fraud. One report specifies that the charges involve offences against the state, fraud, and involvement in organised crime, reflecting the court’s findings regarding the broader scheme and the involvement of senior political figures. The sentencing reflects the court’s determination that the defendants played roles in falsifying refugee status for the purpose of US resettlement.