Kathmandu, October 24

Sixteen days have passed since Sharad Kumar Gauchan was murdered in board daylight shooting, but Nepal Police remains clueless about culprits even after questioning over 180 ‘suspects’.

A seven-member special probe panel led by DIG Ganesh KC was formed the next day to investigate into the murder of president of Federation of Contractors’ Association of Nepal. Central Investigation Bureau, Metropolitan Police Crime Division and other local units have also launched separate investigations into the incident.

The special probe panel also prepared composite sketches of some suspects believed to be connected to the shooting based on the statement and facial descriptions given by witnesses, but it has not been able to identify and trace them.

Gauchan was shot dead by two motorcycle-borne persons in Prayag Marg, Kathmandu-32, on October 9. “We were inching closer towards the culprits of the premeditated murder. We will make them public as soon as possible,” a member of the panel said without giving further details. He said Gauchan was suspected to have been shot dead for allegedly refusing to give in to extortion demands from racketeers.

The operatives of Sujan Paudel aka Ramesh Bahun, who is languishing in the Central Jail, and of Manoj Pun, who shot dead a leader of the CPN-UML-aligned Youth Federation Nepal in Rupandehi last year, are prime suspects.

The gangs are notorious for running extortion ring.

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