Kathmandu, March 5
Nepal P0lice has made public the names of those allegedly involved in the smuggling of 33 kg of gold into Nepal through Tribhuvan International Airport. Ten of the 30 accused are based in the UAE and out of reach of the police force, thus far.
Police have identified Hari Sharan Khadka as the kingpin of this smuggling racket. He is reportedly based in the UAE. According to police, Dhruba, Krishna Gopal Agrawal, Rajan Prasad Panta, Arjun Prasad Kharel, Chuda Mani Upreti, Keshav Chapagain, Sanjay alias Durga Prasad Kharel and Gopal Bhusal are members of his network. NP’s Central Investigation Bureau has made public the sketches as well as phone numbers of the accused. Police said they are yet to nab 10 suspects based in the UAE and eight based in Nepal. Police claim that Santosh Kafle, Gopal Shahi and Dil Bandhu Thapa are among key members of the network operating from Nepal. These people, according to police, used to receive gold consignments and supply them to different places.
The key receivers of gold originating in Dubai, according to police, are Ram Hari Karkia, Ram Pratap Khadka alias Subin, Prakash Kharel and Buddhi Man Kharel. According to CIB, Bhola Magar alias Niraj, Sanket Khatiwada Upadhyaya, Bishnu Subedi and Madhav Subedi used to work in coordination with Gopal Shahi as couriers.
Airport aides
The CIB report has also named persons, who used to assist gold smugglers at the airport. According to the report, gold smuggled in by Dil Bahadur Thapa would reach Sri Narayan Yadav at the airport. SSP Shyam Bahadur Khatri would get the consignment.
The CIB report has identified Raj Kumar Dhakal, Ganga Bhurtel, Tej Bahadur Shrestha, Shyam Shretha and Pradhyumna Hari Shrestha as other persons involved in gold smuggling.
Gold seekers
Police have also named persons, who would seek gold from Dubai. According to the CIB report, Rajendra Kumar Shakya, Malika Bajracharya Shakya, Ram Krishna Goyal, Kusum Goyal, Bibhuti Amol Bhalchandra and Pramod Shrestha would place demand for gold. Rabi Rajesh Bogati, Shani Shrestha and Gita Shrestha, according to CIB, were associated with these gold seekers as partners.
Manoj Shrestha, Sunil Shrestha, Rajesh Shakya and Sapan Shrestha were also into gold smuggling as shareholders, according to police.
18 still at large
Police informed they have arrested 12 individuals of the racket thus far, while 18 are at large. The arrestees include SSP Shyam Khatri, Gopal Shahi, who brought the luggage containing gold from the UAE, Santosh Kafle, Dil Bandhu Thapa, Sri Narayan Yadav, Raj Kumar Kharel, Shyam Shrestha, Ram Hari Karki, Manoj Shrestha, Sunil Shrestha, Rajesh Shakya and Sapan Shrestha.
