The Metropolitan Police Crime Division (MPCD) has arrested a 30-year-old man, who allegedly staged a ‘fake abduction’ to avoid repayment of his loan that he owed to various persons.

MPCD had launched a search and rescue operation after it received a missing complaint of Shakti Raj Regmi, resident of Chundevi, Kathmandu Metropolitan City, on July 17. The complaint lodged by his parents said that he had gone missing since July 8 and was suspected to have been kidnapped by a criminal gang.

After the complaint was lodged, the Division began its search and rescue investigation only to find Regmi with a girl at a room of the Gongabu-based Sugandha Hotel on fifth day of investigation.

“Regmi had borrowed millions of rupees from many individuals faking that he worked for a real estate. He faked his kidnapping so that he would not have to return the money,” reads the statement issued by Superintendent of Police Ishwor Karki, spokesperson at MPCD.

SP Karki said that Regmi had been charged with public crime for wasting the time of law enforcement agency and nation’s resources by spreading false rumour.