Govt likely to send team to India

Kathmandu, December 16

The Ministry of Home Affairs today said Nepal Police would coordinate with Indian authorities to corroborate the connection between the ‘disappeared’ gold and the December 7 seizure of 33 kg gold in Kolkata.

Under-secretary Ekdev Adhikari, information officer at the MoHA, told THT that Indian police had sought the help of Nepal Police to verify whether the undeclared gold seized by the Department of Revenue Intelligence, India, from two Nepalis — Rakesh Prasad and Hem Prasad Sharma — was the ‘lost’ consignment of 33 kg yellow metal allegedly smuggled by the racket of Chudamani Upreti aka Gorey.

“Our liaison with Indian authorities is not only for the purpose of linking the lost gold to the seizure, but for counteracting the transnational nexus of gold smuggling which has been further substantiated by the arrest of two Nepalis with gold. Both sides have signed agreements to combat cross-border crimes,” he added.

The 712-page report submitted by Joint Secretary Ishwar Raj Paudel-led probe panel to the government had categorically mentioned the names of Rakesh Prasad and Hem Prasad, residents of Sunsari district, as suspects among 292 persons who are at large and need to be dragged into investigation of ‘lost’ gold and the March 2 murder of Sanam Shakya, who was electorcuted in Sunsari.

A MoHA source said, “The MoHA is likely to send a team comprising security officials in a few days to West Bengal for necessary coordination and liaison with Indian authorities.”

Superintendent of Police Ram Dutta Joshi, assistant spokesperson for Nepal Police, said police personnel would work with Indian counterparts to broaden the scope of investigation into the transnational gold smuggling racket.