Home Ministry’s crackdown nets record 24,382 fugitive convicts in FY 2081/82
Since assuming office, Home Minister Ramesh Lekhak has prioritized policy and legal reforms while accelerating the enforcement of judicial decisions.
KATHMANDU: The Ministry of Home Affairs has intensified efforts to apprehend fugitive convicts across the country.
Since assuming office, Home Minister Ramesh Lekhak has prioritized policy and legal reforms while accelerating the enforcement of judicial decisions.
Under his directive, police have been tasked with arresting individuals sentenced to imprisonment or fines by courts and quasi-judicial bodies who remain absconding. As a result, the first year of Minister Lekhak’s tenure, fiscal year 2081/82, witnessed the highest number of fugitive arrests to date.
During the past fiscal year, 24,382 fugitive convicts were apprehended nationwide, compared to 14,764 in FY 2080/81—a 65.08% increase.
In FY 2079/80, the police had arrested 11,902 fugitives, according to Nepal Police spokesperson Deputy Inspector General Vinod Ghimire. He noted that proactive enforcement by the Home Ministry and its agencies contributed significantly to these results.
Data shows that Kathmandu Valley Police Office, Rani Pokhari, arrested the highest number—6,375 fugitives—in FY 2081/82.
Other regional tallies include Koshi Province Police (3,489), Madhes Province Police (5,712), Bagmati Province Police (1,703), Gandaki Province Police (1,491), Lumbini Province Police (3,996), Karnali Province Police (556), Sudurpashchim Province Police (928), and the Central Investigation Bureau (132).
Over NPR 1.5 billion in fines was collected during the same period. Kathmandu Police remain at the forefront of enforcement operations, with daily large- and small-scale operations conducted in the densely populated capital.
Of the total, 5,585 fugitive convicts were arrested in Kathmandu alone, marking a significant increase from 1,067 arrests in FY 2080/81.
Despite manpower constraints and limited resources, police have achieved remarkable success in executing court decisions.
The Kathmandu Police devised and implemented special strategies to ensure effective enforcement of verdicts, contributing to nationwide leadership in fugitive arrests.
Additionally, during Minister Lekhak’s first year, 82 cooperative-related cases were registered across the country, leading to the arrest of 45 individuals, both men and women, according to police records.
