KATHMANDU, OCTOBER 8
The Central Investigation Bureau of Nepal Police has recommended prosecution of Rahul Mahara, son of former speaker of the House of Representatives Krishna Bahadur Mahara, and two others, in connection with the gold smuggling racket hidden in electronic cigarettes popularly known as vapes.
Two others against whom police have recommended action are Dawa Tsering, a Belgian national of Chinese origin, the highest level mastermind police have arrested so far, and Lokendra Poudel, a driver of Chinese national Dawajin Wong who had smuggled the gold into Nepal via Dubai. Dawa is currently behind bars for his connection in a separate 61-kilogram gold scam.
The CIB has asked Kathmandu District Government Attorney Office to prosecute them under two different charges - smuggling of gold and operating organised crime. Police have also asked the attorney's office to demand principle amount of Rs 85.50 million from the accused smugglers.
Earlier, Rahul was grilled by the CIB for multiple times after his involvement in the gold smuggling racket was found by the police. Just a few days ago (October 3), Mahara, also the leader of ruling NCP-Maoist Centre, was also called by the CIB to record his statement in relation to the scandal.
However, police had not recommend prosecution of former speaker Mahara.
Police investigation has shown that the Mahara duo received or made calls more than 250 times with gold smugglers, middlemen and government employees to release e-cigarettes that were being held by the airport customs upon suspicion.
Later, it was found by the police that approximately around 9.12 kilogram of precious yellow metal was concealed inside e-cigarettes.
On the night of 25 December 2022, two Chinese nationals arrived in Kathmandu from Dubai with some boxes of electric cigarettes. However, instead of bringing them via cargo service like other imported goods that enter the country, the goods were brought in luggage.
Upon suspecting foul play, the airport customs held e-cigarettes without knowing that gold was concealed inside those cigarettes.
After airport customs refused to release the vapes even after paying the tax amount, the smuggler had visited Mahara family to exert pressure on government officials to release the vapes. Speaking at the public function, the former speaker said he had talked to government employees requesting them not to seize genuine goods being imported after paying due tax amount without any foul play.
Meanwhile, various photographs on social media showed that Dawa had family ties with various influential Maoist leaders, including former vice-president Nanda Kishor Pun and his son Dipesh Pun.
A version of this article appears in the print on October 9, 2023, of The Himalayan Times
