High-level commission to probe gold smuggling begins its work

Kathmandu / Oct 5: The high-level commission formed earlier this week to carry out a detailed investigation into the recent incidents of gold smuggling has started its work. The commission started its work by establishing an office in the old building of the Ministry of Home Affairs at Singha Durbar.

The government formed the four-member commission headed by former High Court judge Dilliram Acharya on October 1 to investigate the issue of illegal gold smuggling from the Tribhuvan International Airport. The members of the commission are former joint secretaries Kishor Jung Karki and Premraj Joshi and former Additional Inspector General (AIG) of Police Sahakul Thapa.

The government has instructed the commission to complete the investigation within three months and submit a report with recommendations for controlling gold smuggling. On July 19 this year, the Department of Revenue Investigation (DRI) seized 60.716 kg of gold hidden in ‘brake shoes’ of motorbikes that had been cleared by the Tribhuvan International Airport customs office.

The gold which was seized by the DRI was investigated by the Central Investigation Bureau (CIB) of Nepal Police following the instructions of the department and the government. The CIB has filed a case at the court against the persons found involved in gold smuggling during the investigation.

Regarding the gold smuggling case, the main opposition CPN-UML and other parties obstructed parliament for a long time demanding the formation of a high-level probe commission. On August 23, the government and nationally recognized political parties agreed to form a high-level inquiry commission by September 22.

The formation of the commission was delayed because the parties could not reach an agreement. After Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal returned from China, the government formed the probe commission.