KATHMANDU, AUGUST 8

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Home Affairs Narayan Kaji Shrestha expressed his commitment to bring investigation into the gold smuggling scam to a logical conclusion and to book the culprit at any cost.

Responding to the queries raised by the parliamentarians in the House of Representatives (HoR) meeting on Tuesday, DPM Shrestha assured that the incumbent government would lay all of its focus for impartial investigation into the scam.

'The government will focus on the investigation. Let's create an enabling environment for the government to take the investigation to a logical conclusion,' he urged.

It may be noted that the Department of Revenue Investigation had seized 155 kg of gold smuggled in brake shoe in front of the Office of Custom at Tribhuvan International Airport on July 18.

Urging one and all to have confidence on the state apparatus, he opined that it would not be appropriate to form a parallel committee to probe the scam.

'Let's deal with this issue from a new approach if the Central Investigation Bureau (CIB) fails to take the investigation to a logical conclusion within the stipulated time or if there is any case of ill intention during the investigation,' he said.

The CIB has been entrusted with the responsibility to further investigate the smuggling case since last Sunday after Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal directed the Department of Revenue Investigation to give the responsibility to the CIB.

Shrestha pledged to take this scam to a logical conclusion with positive attitude and support from all sides.

On another case of gold smuggling in electric cigarette, DPM Shrestha assured that the culprits would be brought to justice. 'It is imperative to review overall security management at Tribhuvan International Airport to prevent sure such illegal activities.

To overhaul the security system in the Airport, a new policy, decisions and action-plans should be put in place' he asserted.