# Bal Krishna Khand

Bal Krishna Khand (Nepali: बालकृष्ण खाँण) is a former, Nepalese politician, former Home Minister of Nepal and a convict of the Bhutanese refugees scam recently unveiled. Khand is a central working committee member of the Nepali Congress party. Khand also served as the Defense Minister of Nepal under the Second Dahal cabinet.

## Political life

Khand was the president of the NC youth wing, Nepal Tarun Dal. When the party was divided in 2003, Khand joined the Nepali Congress (Democratic). Khand was included in the Central Working Committee of the new party. NC(D) later merged back with NC, though. After the royal coup d'état, Khand was arrested and jailed. In the 2008 Constituent Assembly election and 2013 Constituent Assembly election he was elected from the Rupandehi-3 constituency. In the 2017, NC-RPP formed an alliance when Khand had to leave his constituency to Ex-Forest Minister Deepak Bohara from Rastriya Prajatantra Party. So, he was elected from the proportional of Nepali Congress.
Born in Syangja in 2017 BS, Khand has been active in politics since 2033 BS. Leading the Nepal Students Union and Nepal Tarun Dal, Khand, who is active in party politics, has previously taken charge of the Ministry of Irrigation and Defense. Khand has been the chief whip of the Nepali Congress, is now holding portfolio Home Minister.
He is married to Manju Khand.

## Arrested in Connection with fake Bhutanese Refugees Scam

On May 13, 2023, former Nepali home minister and Nepali Congress leader Bal Krishna Khand was arrested by the Kathmandu Police Circle at his residence in Mainjubahal for his alleged involvement in the fake Bhutanese refugees scam. The scam involved swindling Nepalis out of millions of rupees in exchange for sending them to the United States as Bhutanese refugees. Khand's personal aide, Narendra KC, was also arrested in connection with the scam. The arrests were made after Tek Narayan Pandey, a former home secretary and current secretary at the vice-president's office, implicated the duo in the scam. Khand and KC are currently detained at the Metropolitan Police Circle in Teku. So far, 12 people have been arrested, including Pandey and two individuals arrested on May 9. The police have also arrested several other individuals suspected of being the prime accused in the case, all of whom had strong political connections. Meanwhile, former deputy prime minister Top Bahadur Rayamajhi has been absconding since May 4 after an arrest warrant was issued against him and his son by the Kathmandu District Court. The custody of eight people arrested for their involvement in the scam was extended on May 7.

## Electoral history
### 2013 Constituent Assembly election

Rupandehi-3 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes |
| | Nepali Congress | Bal Krishna Khand | 18,481 |
| | CPN (Unified Marxist–Leninist) | Ghanshyam Bhusal | 18,395 |
| | Rastriya Janamukti Party | Jham Bahadur Gurung | 4,620 |
| | UCPN (Maoist) | Bharat Aryal | 3,897 |
| | Madheshi Janaadhikar Forum, Nepal (Democratic) | Sant Prasad Chaudhary | 1,891 |
| | Madheshi Janaadhikar Forum, Nepal | Ram Avatar Yadav | 1,063 |
| | Others | Others | 2,225 |
| Result | Result | Congress hold | Congress hold |
| Source: NepalNews ||||

### 2008 Constituent Assembly election

Rupandehi-3 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes |
| | Nepali Congress | Bal Krishna Khand | 16,790 |
| | CPN (Unified Marxist–Leninist) | Lila Giri | 15,458 |
| | CPN (Maoist) | Tej Kumari Paudel | 11,554 |
| | Terai Madhesh Loktantrik Party | Shiva Kumar Tharu Chaudhary | 1,645 |
| | Independent | Yam Bahadur Pun | 1,336 |
| | Others | | 5,017 |
| Invalid votes | Invalid votes | Invalid votes | 2,035 |
| Result | Result | Congress hold | Congress hold |
| Source: Election Commission ||||