Kavrepalanchok— The Kavrepalanchok District Court has sentenced three individuals to life imprisonment in connection with the honeytrap-related kidnapping and murder of 50-year-old Binod Khadgi of Kirtipur Municipality-5, Kathmandu. Three other defendants have been acquitted in the case.
Those sentenced to life imprisonment are Manisha Mahat of Sunkoshi Rural Municipality-2, Sindhupalchowk, currently residing in Madhyapur Thimi Municipality-9; Ashish Paswan of Gaushala Municipality-6, Mahottari, currently residing in Kaushaltar, Bhaktapur; and Pratik Gautam of Galkot Municipality-7, Baglung, currently residing in Koteshwor, Kathmandu.
A bench of District Court Judge Nagendra Kumar Kalakheti delivered the verdict on Monday, according to court clerk Indira Karki. The court also imposed a fine of Rs 200,000 on each of the three convicts and ordered them to deposit Rs 2,800 each into the Victims’ Relief Fund.
The court acquitted Roshni Mahat, Sanjay Khatri, Menuka Mahat, and Dipesh Poudel due to lack of sufficient evidence. Meanwhile, Sarin Ghimire of Shankarapur Municipality-5, Kathmandu, was found guilty as an accomplice, and a separate hearing has been scheduled to determine his sentence. Two other accused, Anshu Khan and Shivam Singh Rajput, remain absconding.
Kidnapped for ransom, killed to erase evidence
According to the court and police investigation, Khadgi, who operated a meat shop in Kirtipur, was abducted on the night of Asoj 20, 2079 (October 6, 2022). The group initially lured him under the pretext of helping them obtain citizenship documents.
After abducting him, the accused tied his hands and feet and demanded a ransom of Rs 3 million, later reducing the demand to Rs 1 million. Khadgi reportedly agreed to pay Rs 500,000, which was handed over near Bhatbhateni Supermarket in Radhe Radhe, Bhaktapur, through his employee.
Fearing that the crime would be exposed after receiving the ransom, the group beat Khadgi to death on the same night. Police investigations revealed that he was taken to Gundu in Bhaktapur, where he was assaulted with bricks on the chest and other sensitive parts of the body. His body was later dumped at Panchkhal-8, Kavrepalanchok.
Money distribution and wider criminal links
Investigators found that after the murder, the ransom money was distributed among the group. Manisha Mahat received Rs 180,000, Pratik Gautam Rs 10,000, Ashish Paswan Rs 20,000, and Rs 50,000 was given to Anshu Khan’s sister, Roshni Mahat.
Police have also stated that Manisha Mahat was involved in robbery cases in India in collaboration with Indian nationals. Additionally, Anshu Khan and Shivam Singh Rajput were found to have assaulted a person named Tushar in Greater Noida, India, and extorted Rs 150,000 about three months prior to Khadgi’s murder.
Even after returning to Nepal, the group allegedly continued to target wealthy individuals through honeytrap schemes to extort money, according to investigators.
