Deepak Pandey of Siddharthnagar-10 has pleaded for the return of the money after the account of Rs 35 million invested in shares in Winstar Casino Pvt. Ltd. has not been found.

Pandey says that he has invested Rs 34 million in the Winstar Casino, which is being prepared to operate in the premises of Bodhi Redsun Hotel in Basantapur, Omsatiya-4, Rupandehi. He said that he was left stranded contrary to the agreement.

An agreement was signed between the casino's operator, Kathmandu Metropolitan City-4, and Pratibha Pokharel on April 24 to transfer the amount. The agreement states that Gari Pandey will have to pay Rs 47.5 million to the operator Pokharel in order to maintain a 25 percent share in the casino. Pandey claims that Rs 34 million of the amount has already been paid to Pokharel.

Pandey said that he has filed a complaint with the concerned bodies, stating that he has not received the casino shares as per the agreement and that the operator has submitted documents of sole ownership to the company registrar, tourism department and other government bodies. Meanwhile, Pandey claims that an attempt was made to change the name of the casino and obtain a license. Pandey had filed a case in the Patan High Court on November 21, seeking to stop the investment agreement with Winstar Casino Pvt. Ltd. and the attempt to obtain a new license for the casino in the name of Winners Entertainment Pvt. Ltd., contrary to the agreement, from providing shares. According to Pandey, the High Court has fixed a general hearing on November 21. Meanwhile, Pandey alleged that a complaint was not registered even after he reached the District Police Office, Rupandehi, twice to file a fraud case. ‘I am in mental stress now,’ he said, ‘I have been brought to a life or death situation.’ He said that even after an agreement was made to provide 25 percent shares in the casino, the share was not provided. He said that he was separated from the company after spending the amount he had given. ‘I took out a loan from the bank and gave the money,’ he said, ‘Now where will I get the money and pay it to the bank, the police will not register a petition when I go to seek justice.’

Hotel Bodhi Radisson Pvt. Ltd. also published a notice with a deadline of 7 days on Friday and stated that an agreement was reached between the hotel management and Winstar Casino Pvt. Ltd. in 2081 Magh to operate in two halls located on the north-west side of the hotel. The notice issued by the hotel’s board of directors chairman Pramod Kumar Yadav states that although the casino has been using both halls since 1 Chaitra 2081, it has not yet paid the deposit and rent as per the agreement. Since the hotel did not show any interest despite repeated contacts, it has been informed that the entire amount due to the hotel must be paid within 7 days of the publication of the notice and that if it is not paid, all agreements between the hotel and the company will be canceled based on the notice.

The notice has been sent to the Tourism Department, Industries Department, Company Registrar’s Office, District Administration, Police and Rohini Rural Municipality for information. Suniljung Rayamajhi, husband of casino operator Pokharel, said that they were in trouble when Pandey did not pay the amount on time as per the agreement. ‘We will have to file a compensation case against Pandey,’ he said, ‘We have not been able to operate the casino due to the obstruction of the hotel operator and employees, including Pandey. We have not been allowed to proceed with the work by filing a case in court.’ Rayamajhi also said that they were in trouble because Pandey’s promise to pay the money expired in mid-Jeshta,’