Gold Smuggling Case: CIB recommends legal action against 3, including former Speaker Mahara’s son

KATHMANDU: The Central Investigation Bureau (CIB) of the Nepal Police has concluded that there is no need to prosecute former speaker Krishna Bahadur Mahara for smuggling gold hidden in electronic cigarette vape.

The individuals facing potential prosecution include Rahul Mahara, the son of former Speaker Krishna Bahadur Mahara, along with Belgian citizen of Tibetan origin, Dawa Chhiring, and driver Lokendra Poudel, as well as Chinese citizen Dawajin Wang.

The case, which also implicates Dawa Chhiring in a separate 61 kg gold case, has been under intense investigation.

Notably, Dawa Chhiring is currently in custody. One Nepalese individual has been placed on the fugitive list, while six Chinese nationals, including Dawajin Wang, have been listed as wanted based on the findings during their arrest in Nepal.

The police have recommended moving forward with the case against the accused individuals in the vape smuggling case, in addition to imposing a fine of NPR 85.55 million along with 28,374 rupees.

The saga began on December 25, 2022, when 9 kg 11.524 grams of gold were discovered concealed within a vape owned by Dawajin and another Chinese citizen arriving from Dubai. The airport customs office seized the item due to suspicion.

Subsequently, former Speaker Mahara and his son Rahul attempted to have the vape released, with Mahara making 256 calls in an attempt to resolve the situation.

However, the gold was ultimately confiscated by customs and investigated by the CIB.

Despite the case being filed on July 12, no investigation had been initiated against the group responsible for importing the gold.

In light of these developments, the police have gathered statements from former Speaker Mahara, marking a significant step forward in this complex case