Licenses and cash seized from middlemen at the transport office. Two middlemen have been arrested on charges of causing unnecessary trouble at the Madhyapur Thimi Transport Office in Bhaktapur. Over two days, 32 middlemen were arrested from four transport offices in Kathmandu, with investigations ongoing. According to the Kathmandu District Police Office, 53 bill books and NPR 122,000 were recovered from those arrested.
On March 19 in Kathmandu, two middlemen were apprehended at the Transport Management Office located in Radharadh, Madhyapur Thimi Municipality-5, Bhaktapur. The arrested individuals are 29-year-old Yamakumari Shrestha from Jugal Rural Municipality-3, Sindhupalchok, and 30-year-old Sunil Thapa from Kalika Municipality-6, Chitwan. The police team deployed from Thimi Police Post arrested them. They face allegations of causing unnecessary inconvenience to service users and obstructing public service delivery.
Middlemen have long been accused of creating hurdles and charging fees under the pretense of fast-track services related to license issuance, renewal, blue book renewal, and vehicle registration provided by the transport offices. Following numerous complaints from service recipients, AIG Ishwor Karki, Chief of the Kathmandu Valley Police Office in Ranipokhari, stated that a campaign has been initiated to legally take action against those causing undue inconvenience. “There will be no exemption for those engaging in illegal activities. Police will bring those obstructing work and causing trouble within legal boundaries,” he said.
On the same day two were arrested in Bhaktapur, 15 middlemen were also detained in Kathmandu. Seven were arrested on Tuesday at the Small Bharyang Transport Office in Kathmandu Metropolitan City–15 by the Swayambhu Police Post. The arrested include 36-year-old Balbahadur Sunar from Rautahat, 39-year-old Bijyan Rai from Umakunda Rural Municipality-4, Ramechhap, 31-year-old Sanjay Rajwahak from Tarkeshwar, Kathmandu, 36-year-old Bimal Tamang from Raniban, Kathmandu, 35-year-old Ramesh Karki from Khandadevi Rural Municipality-7, Ramechhap, 36-year-old Kalpana Lamsal from Nilkantha Municipality-5, Dhading, and 39-year-old Uddhav Khanal from Belkotgadhi Municipality-12, Nuwakot. According to SSP Ramesh Thapa of the Kathmandu District Police Office, 53 bill books and NPR 122,000 were recovered from them. They face allegations of causing difficulties to service seekers and obstructing public services by promising bill book renewals.
An ongoing middleman control campaign is being conducted in Kathmandu District and its subordinate offices. Similar to the Swayambhu Police Post, eight middlemen were arrested on Tuesday by Thangkot Police Post. Among those arrested were 25-year-old Pasang Tamang from Kuleshwor, Kathmandu; 30-year-old Sunil Lama from Temal Rural Municipality-8, Kavre; 23-year-old Sudip Magar from Chandragiri Municipality-6, Kathmandu; 20-year-old Buddha Tamang from Thakre Rural Municipality-4, Dhading. Others arrested include 26-year-old Sumesh Nepali from Thaha Municipality-9, Makwanpur; 24-year-old Aman Tamang from Thakre Rural Municipality-4; 18-year-old Ujwal Singh from Telkot Rural Municipality-4, Bajhang; and 26-year-old Dilip Rai from Kerabari Rural Municipality-5, Morang.
Previously, a joint team from the Lalitpur District Police Office and Satdobato Police Post arrested 15 middlemen at the Transport Management Office in Ekantakuna. SP Gautam Mishra of the Lalitpur District Police Office informed that four among those arrested had been apprehended previously. In total, over two days, 32 middlemen have been arrested from four transport offices across the valley. They are currently in custody with investigations ongoing.
Complaints have also been received about middlemen actively operating in other government offices such as the Department of Foreign Employment and Passport Office. Previously, the Kathmandu Valley Crime Investigation Office had repeatedly arrested middlemen from the Passport Department. With renewed complaints of middlemen harassing service recipients, police have also conducted raids and arrests targeting middlemen at the Government Attorney’s Office.
