BIRATNAGAR: As per the statements of a suspect of the infamous gold smuggling and murder case, Chudamani Upreti (Gorey) had funded the election campaign of then CPN-UML lawmaker from Province 1.

The alleged kingpin Upreti had financially supported left alliance candidate for House of Representatives, Ghanashyam Khadka of electoral constituency 1, Morang. He provided Rs 200,000 as election expense to Khadka through Rewant Acharya who was presented before the District Court, Morang, today.

Acharya admitted taking the amount from Gorey and said that Gorey had funded the expense upon his request.

“Gorey was here in Urlabari during the provincial and parliamentary elections. He used to say he had hotels in Dubai but I did not know whether he was telling the truth or not,” Acharya told the court. “I made a request and he gave me Rs 200,000 to fund Khadka’s campaign.”

Moreover, Acharya in return had procured a battery and electric converter for Gorey prior to gold courier Sanam Shakya’s murder. Shakya was electrocuted to death.