June 2, Kathmandu. Gorkha’s Tara Gurung has been in custody at the Lalitpur District Police Complex for nearly a month. Tara, a 33-year-old originally from Shahid Lakhan Village Municipality-9, Gorkha, and currently residing in Tokha Municipality-3, Baniyatar, is now facing trial at the Lalitpur District Court.
Tara was arrested on May 3, and police investigated her for criminal extortion before submitting a report to the Lalitpur District Government Attorney’s Office. On May 30, the government attorney filed a case against her in court.
The hearing in the case against Tara Gurung from Gorkha has not yet concluded due to a break in between. The proceedings are ongoing, with the case being heard intermittently.
The hearing is taking place in the courtroom of Judge Hari Prasad Koirala. The arguments regarding her detention have already concluded, and today, the court will issue one of the following orders:
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Send her back to custody for further proceedings,
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Set a regular date for the next hearing, or
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Release her on bail.
Tara Gurung has been charged under Section 253(2) of the National Criminal Code (Muluki Faujdari Ain) 2074, with the prosecution seeking punishment under Subsection 3(kha).
The charges allege that she extorted Rs. 92,46,290 (9.2 million rupees). If convicted, she faces:
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Up to 3 years of imprisonment,
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A fine of up to Rs. 30,000, and
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Repayment of the extorted amount (Rs. 92,46,290).
The court is currently hearing arguments, and a decision on her remand, bail, or next hearing date is expected soon.
Tara, who has been in police custody for about a month, is accused of luring a real estate businessman with the surname Bishwakarma—originally from Pyuthan and currently residing in Lalitpur—into a honey trap. It has been revealed that this honey trap scheme began around three and a half years ago.
Tara, who is currently in custody, used to work at the Top Rajdhani Dohori Sanjha located in Gongabu. It was during a visit to this establishment on Mangsir 24, 2078 B.S. (December 10, 2021), that Bishwakarma and Tara first met.
During this time, they became acquainted, connected on social media, and exchanged phone numbers. According to the complaint filed by the victim, a physical relationship also developed between them. He stated that Tara later used this relationship as a basis to blackmail him and extort money.
The victim claimed that he was threatened with being exposed in the media or being falsely reported to the police if he did not pay. To intimidate him, Tara reportedly took photos in front of the police station and sent them via Messenger, using them as leverage for bargaining. During the police investigation, video clips and photos were also found showing Tara pretending to commit suicide, as well as images taken in front of the police station that were sent as threats.
The victim stated that after being blackmailed with threats of being falsely accused in a rape case, he was forced to transfer NPR 4,962,390 to Tara’s account through a friend’s bank account. Out of this, he claimed to have given NPR 250,000 in cash over six separate occasions.
He also submitted bank statements showing 27 transactions made directly into Tara Gurung’s account. Additionally, he claimed to have deposited NPR 892,357 into accounts belonging to individuals Tara had instructed him to pay, describing this as part of the extorted money in cash.
Besides the cash, the victim told police that he had provided Tara with goods worth approximately NPR 3.4 million. This included high-end phones such as an iPhone 11 Pro, iPhone 6S, iPhone 13 Pro Max, iPhone 14 Pro Max, and an iPhone 15 Pro Max, which he claims to have purchased for her.
In addition, the victim claimed that Tara took various other items, including mobile phones, AirPods, watches, gold rings, bracelets, earrings, necklaces, and chains.
Moreover, he revealed that he transferred ownership of a plot of land—plot number 335, measuring 550.29 square meters and worth around NPR 2 million—in Lahami Municipality-7 of Dang district, to Tara Gurung’s name.
He stated that the total value of goods alone amounted to NPR 3,391,543. Altogether, the victim alleged that Tara extorted him of over NPR 9.2 million (92 lakh) through blackmail.
Despite being continuously blackmailed and extorted for nearly NPR 10 million (1 crore), the victim finally filed a police complaint on Chaitra 26, 2081 (April 8, 2025), after she began demanding even more money, according to his statement.
As per the victim, police recovered some gold ornaments from Tara’s room during the investigation.
Lalitpur District Police Chief SSP Shyam Krishna Adhikari stated that the investigation confirmed the victim had provided Tara Gurung with both cash and various goods.
“He has been found to have given both cash and goods. Based on that, a case has been filed under criminal benefit charges, and the legal process is underway,” said SSP Shyam Krishna Adhikari.
On the other hand, the arrested woman has claimed that they were in a live-in relationship, and she did not extort money through a honey trap.
She stated that after meeting at the dohori sanjha venue, they developed a good relationship and were romantically involved.
She further mentioned that they traveled together to Dubai, Pakistan, Mumbai, Goa, and Delhi. According to her statement, all the cash and goods provided by the businessman were not demanded through bargaining or blackmail, but were given as gifts. She claims the money was provided for personal use and expenses.
The young woman claimed that she did not take photos in front of the police station to threaten him, but rather to save the relationship.
“When the relationship started falling apart, I sent messages saying I would die, even sent photos and videos saying I would commit suicide,” she said. “I took and sent those photos in front of the police station only to preserve our relationship, not to blackmail him,” her statement reads.
