Kathmandu, July 7 -- The Kathmandu District Court on Tuesday convicted 14 individuals, including former deputy prime minister Top Bahadur Rayamajhi and former home minister Balkrishna Khand, in the fake Bhutanese refugee scam.

The court acquitted seven others-Ram Sharan KC, Tanka Kumar Gurung, Sandeep Rayamajhi, Pratik Thapa, Laxmi Maharjan, Keshav Tuladhar and Ashish Budhathoki. Cases against defendants who are currently absconding have been kept on hold, with proceedings to resume in accordance with the law once they are arrested.

Those convicted include Rayamajhi, Khand, Keshav Dulal, Sanu Bhandari, Sagar Rai, Sandesh Sharma, Indrajit Rai, Govinda Kumar Chaudhary, Ang Tawa Sherpa and Tek Narayan Pandey.

In its brief order, the court...