One of the main accused in the 60 kilograms gold smuggling case has been found to have been arrested in India.
A Department of Revenue Investigation (DRI) team had confiscated a huge quantity of gold hidden inside brake shoes of scooters during a cargo inspection on July 18 after it had passed undetected through customs at the Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA) in Kathmandu. The gold was brought on a Cathay Pacific Airways flight from Hong Kong and was later weighed to be 60.716 kilograms.
Chinese national Yongxin Peng known as Asin, who had fled to India from Nepal after the gold was confiscated was arrested by the Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) of India, according to the Central Investigation Bureau (CIB) of Nepal Police that has been investigating the case.
He was arrested by the SSB while trying to sneak into India through the border in the Kharibari area of Siliguri in West Bengal and handed over to Kharibari police, India Today reported on July 20.
During interrogation, Yongxin Peng showed Nepali citizenship certificate acquired from the District Administration Office, Kavre but the police also recovered a Chinese passport and several other documents from him sparking suspicions that he was involved in espionage, different Indian media reports had reported.
The CIB has received information that Indian investigation on the Chinese national has yet to be completed. “It is not yet known whether he would be handed over to us as he is a Chinese national. We don’t even have those kinds of treaties. It is not easy to bring him,” a CIB source stated.
The Chinese national used to oversee the gold smuggling racket’s godown in Tokha and is suspected to be one of the main persons involved in gold smugging. He is believed to be an associate of the Daojin Wang who is considered to be the kingpin of the racket.
The CIB has completed investigations in the case and submitted the investigation report to the District Government Attorney’s Office, Kathmandu on Wednesday. It has made 50 defendants in the case.
The CIB has arrested 32 of those defendants while 18 are absconding. The arrested persons include 23 Nepalis and nine foreigners while the absconding 18 include 14 foreigners and four Nepalis.
The absconding defendants include Amala Rokka Magar with close connection with CPN (Maoist Center) leaders. Her Husband Dawa Tsering, who is a Belgian national, has been arrested though and is considered to be the biggest fish among those arrested until now.
