Biratnagar, September 16

Biratnagar High Court today ordered the release of suspended DSP Prajit KC and Chudamani Upreti’s aide Ram Kumar Tiwari, who were arrested in connection with the 33 kg gold smuggling case and subsequent murder of Sanam Shakya, on general date.

According to Registrar Narayan Regmi of Biratnagar High Court, a joint bench of judges Umeshraj Poudel and Umesh Kumar Singh issued the order releasing Prajit KC on general date and Ram Kumar Tiwari on a Rs 500,000-bail.

An order was issued to release Prajit KC, who is in custody in connection with the gold smuggling case and murder of Sanam Shakya, on general date due to lack of adequate evidence.  Tiwari and suspended SSP Diwesh Lohani, who were freed on Friday, were kept in Jhumka prison.

Following the murder of Sanam Shakya in Urlabari of Morang, Chudamani Upreti, the mastermind in the smuggling incident had sought help from SI Balkrishna Sanjel of Metropolitan Crime Investigation Department to manage the body. DSP KC and SI Sanjel had arrived in the east with the aim of managing Sanam Shakya’s body after receiving cash.

Shakya was killed on March 2 while searching for the missing 33 kg gold. Gore had told police that he had handed over the responsibility of providing cash to KC and Sanjel for managing the body to Ram Tiwari. The probe committee had arrested Tiwari on the basis of phone recordings.

A joint bench of high court judges Nagendralabh Karna and Saranga Subedi had issued the order to release suspended SSP Diwesh Lohani on Friday.

Cases of murder, kidnapping, organised crime and gold smuggling have been filed against those arrested in the gold smuggling case and for Sanam Shakya’s murder.