Kathmandu, Oct 12: The Nepal Police Central Investigation Bureau (CIB) has arrested former Speaker of the House of Representatives Krishna Bahadur Mahara today, Sunday, in connection with a gold smuggling case involving vapes.
On December 25, 2022, a Chinese national named Li Hansong, who arrived in Kathmandu from Dubai on Fly Dubai flight number FZ0587, had brought two suitcases. Inside the suitcases were 730 vape devices packed in 73 boxes. However, investigations later revealed that gold was concealed inside the vapes, valued at Rs. 85.5 million.
The gold was allegedly sold with the collusion of Customs Officer Revanta Khadka and others. Mahara is accused of exerting pressure on customs officials to release the seized gold. His son, Rahul Mahara, had earlier been arrested and sent to prison in the same case.
The suspicious suitcases were initially seized by the Airport Customs Office after inspection. Li Hansong, however, retrieved his passport and left Kathmandu the next day, leaving the vapes in customs custody.
Later, customs officials reportedly swapped the vapes after receiving information that they contained smuggled gold. On May 8, 2023, the customs office formally requested the CIB to investigate the case. After two months of investigation, the CIB concluded that one kilogram of gold had been smuggled and filed a case against six individuals, including Customs Officer Revanta Khadka.
In a supplementary charge sheet, Belgian citizen of Chinese origin Dawa Tshering, his driver Lokendra Paudel, Rahul Mahara, and Nima Gurung were named as accomplices.
With Mahara’s arrest, this marks the third prosecution in the case.
Sources say that Mahara had recently been interrogated as part of the ongoing investigation. Call records reportedly show frequent communication between Mahara, his son Rahul, and Chinese nationals Li Hansong and Daoniz Wang, who were involved in the gold smuggling operation through Tribhuvan International Airport.
Despite earlier suspicions and evidence, the case against the former Speaker had stalled due to political influence and power, but the investigation has now resumed with his arrest. #gold #nepal #Mahara
