… neither party appealed
Rinzin Wangchuk
Bringing an end to a scam that dates back to 2019, seven people, including a woman, were sentenced to prison terms ranging from five months to more than five years in connection with a vehicle loan scam last month.
Thimphu dzongkhag court’s criminal bench II found the seven defendants involved in forging documents, making fake bluebooks (registration book) and insurance agreement with intention to defraud and deceive the Bhutan National Bank (BNB) between 2017 and 2018.
Chimi Gyeltshen, 35, from Thimphu received the highest prison term, five years and one month, for availing more than Nu 31.782 million (M) loan from BNB to buy 15 Ashok Leyland dumper trucks and four excavators through fraudulent and deceptive practices. The bank released the loan to Chimi Gyeltshen and two other accomplices, Kinley Dorji and Dorji Dema.
He was charged for 19 counts each for tampering with documents, deceptive practices and solicitation.
Chimi Gyeltshen had applied for a loan of Nu 13.223M from BNB to purchase five trucks and two excavators. As per the loan norms and requirements of the bank, he had to submit the details of the vehicles, machineries and owner’s name. The court’s ruling stated that since the defendant didn’t have the required documents, he resorted to tampering the documents to deceive the bank.
Chimi Gyeltshen also made fake documents for another 10 trucks that were booked in the name of Dorji Dema and…
