The Inquiry Commission on gold smuggling has recommended that CPN (Maoist Center) Vice-chairman Krishna Bahadur Mahara be tried for gold smuggling.
The Inquiry Commission, which submitted its report to Deputy Prime Minister (DPM) and Home Minister Rabi Lamichhane on Thursday, has also recommended that Chief of the Central Investigation Bureau (CIB) of Nepal Police Kiran Bajracharya, SP Sanjay Singh Thapa, and DSPs Durga Dahal and Rugam Kunwar also be tried in the case for their role in weakening the case and allowing gold smugglers to escape, according to a Home Ministry source.
Mahara and his son Rahul came under investigation after police found that they were in contact with those involved in bringing gold disguised as e-cigarettes.
In its investigation report on the 9 kg gold smuggling case submitted to the District Government Attorney’s Office, Kathmandu, the Central Investigation Bureau (CIB) of Nepal Police had included a link chart which also showed that Mahara was in contact with Daojin Wang, the alleged mastermind behind the gold smuggling.
The commission has also recommended that the then director general of the Department of Immigration Jhalak Ram Adhikari also be tried in the case concluding that Adhikari was in contact with Dawa Tshering who is in custody.
CIB Chief Bajracharya is set to face departmental action and will be removed from CIB, according to a Nepal Police source.
Home Minister Lamichhane summoned home secretary IGP and other senior officials on Friday and instructed them to suspend Bajracharya, according to the Home Ministry source.
Lamichhane submitted the commission’s report to Prime Minister (PM) Pushpa Kamal Dahal earlier on Friday. PM Dahal gave permission to Home Minister Lamichhane to move ahead in the case, according to PM Dahal’s secretariat.
The commission led by Dilli Raj Acharya submitted the 485-page report after investigating into the 60 kilograms of gold smuggled in disguise of brake shoes and nine kilograms as e-cigarettes.
It also conducted field inspection of seven different customs points including the Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA) and the Rasuwagadhi border point. It again collected statements of 33 charged in the two cases of gold smuggling.
