Kathmandu, October 18

The Central Investigation Bureau of Nepal Police has arrested a man nearly 20 years after committing a drug crime.

On January 13, 1996, police personnel had confiscated 450 grams of brown heroin from the office of Everest Trekking Agency in Gyaneshwor, Kathmandu-33. Narayan Bahadur Thapa of Manamaiju-8, Kathmandu was a storekeeper at the company at that time.

Further investigation had revealed that one Saroj Ratna Shakya was responsible for smuggling narcotics to Kathmandu from Raxaul, India, and Thapa was responsible for taking custody of the drugs before their sale.

CIB had arrested Shakya, who was sentenced to 15 years in jail and a imposed a fine of Rs 500,000.

On March 13, 2000, the Kathmandu District Court sentenced Narayan Bahadur Thapa to 7.6 years in jail and imposed a fine of Rs 250,000. The Patan Appellate Court then overturned the verdict passed by the Kathmandu District Court on August 27, 2002, and handed him a jail sentence of 15 years and a fine of Rs 500,000.

The Supreme Court had also upheld the verdict of the court of appeal on March 18, 2005. The Government of Nepal had acted as a plaintiff in the case filed by Nepal Police.

Thapa, now 55, had been absconding since the Patan Appelate Court verdict. Superintendent of Police Dibesh Lohani said Thapa was apprehended from Bhadrutar-1, Nuwakot yesterday.

Thapa was sent to the Central Jail today.