Report on 33-kg gold smuggling submitted to PM

KATHMANDU, Aug 2: A committee formed to probe the smuggling of 33-kg gold and subsequent murder of Sanam Shakya has submitted its report to Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli on Wednesday.

The probe team coordinated by Joint Secretary at Home Ministry, Ishwor Raj Poudel, submitted its report to the PM in the presence of Home Minister Ram Bahadur Thapa ‘Badal’.

The report going in depth on the gold smuggling and various aspects of organized crime has 752 pages. It took four months to the committee to garner information about the smuggling and murder, and seek suggestion.

The Council of Ministers had formed the probe committee on April 3 early this year after 33 kg gold brought from Dubai was stolen from Tribhuvan International Airport in January and subsequent murder of Sanam Shakya in this connection in February.

As the committee failed to complete the investigation with the deadline of June 13, government had extended the term till July 10.

In course of the investigation, the committee had arrested main accused Chudamani Upreti ‘Gore’, Bhujung Gurung, Rajendra Kumar Shakya, Chhiring Bangdel and others.

Similarly, former DIG Govinda Prasad Niraula, and the police officials serving currently as SSPs Dibesh Lohani, Shyam Khatri, SP Bikas Raj Khanal, DSP Prajit KC and Sub Inspector Balkrishna Sanjel were also arrested in this connection.

Litigation has been filed against a total of 75 persons from various walks of life with the arrest of 45 persons after gold smuggling and Sanam Shakya’s murder. RSS