Rautahat police inflate arrest tallies by counting fine payments as captures

In Rautahat, Nepal, police are allegedly inflating their arrest statistics by treating roadside fine collections as fugitive captures. Individuals like Om Giri, who paid a Rs500 fine for a dishonored-cheque case on the street, were subsequently labeled as fugitives in police statements.

Giri stated that this practice damages reputations, as people are fined and released without ever appearing in court. Kantipur's investigation revealed multiple instances where police collected fines from people at their homes or shops, then reported these as arrests, even though the individuals were never taken into custody or presented to a judge.

On August 11, Rautahat police sent a list of nine "arrested" individuals to journalists. However, verification by Kantipur found only three had been brought to court. The remaining six had only been fined, and police collected these payments directly, bypassing the legal process. A police constable confirmed this method, stating they are instructed to collect fines and deposit them with the court, later providing receipts to clear outstanding records.

The law mandates that individuals sentenced to prison or fines must be taken into custody and presented to the district court. The court registrar then oversees the fine payment or imprisonment. Instead, police reportedly track down individuals with outstanding penalties, collect fines, and then report the transaction as a fugitive arrest, thereby circumventing judicial oversight.

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They collect the money from you on the roadside and then report that they arrested you as a fugitive. That damages a person's reputation.