Butwal, December 29

Deputy Superintendent of Police Thag Bahadur KC of Butwal has been suspended.

Lately, the Nepal Police headquarters in Kathmandu had written to the home ministry, recommending that the officer be suspended over the recent controversy surrounding him.

Nepal Police Spokesperson DIG Tek Prasad Rai confirmed KC's suspension today. 'He (the DSP) has been suspended with effect from today; now whether he should be taken into custody or not is the decision of the investigation officer,' said Rai, adding, the investigation will be conducted by the District Police Office, Rupandehi with the support of the Central Investigation Bureau.

'Indeed, investigation had started early, but for now that he has been suspended,' Rai said, adding, KC had to be detained as his activities were seen as doubtful in the course of preliminary investigation.

SP Rabindra Regmi of Rupandehi District Police Office said the suspended DSP would be taken into custody should the police headquarters instruct to do so.

Acting on a tip-off that he was collecting commission from jewellers, a CIB team had arrested him from his residence on Sunday evening. Thirty-five tola of gold and a check worth 1.8 million rupees were also confiscated from his residence.

Police had launched investigation acting on a tip-off that the police officer had confiscated smuggled gold from a jeweller of Butwal and kept it for himself. Though the jeweller had reportedly submitted 2.5 million rupees to get the gold back, well before the gold was returned, he was detained.

KC, who had been transferred to District Police Office of Kaski, was all set to head for his new duty station on Monday. He had come to Butwal 13 months ago.

A version of this article appears in the print on December 30, 2022, of The Himalayan Times.