PM Dahal ready to give responsibility of investigating latest gold smuggling case to CIB

The Central Investigation Bureau (CIB) of Nepal Police will further investigate the 100 kg gold seized by the Department of Revenue Investigation (DRI).

The DRI under the Prime Minister’s Office has been carrying out an investigation of the gold recovered so far.

Following widespread criticism that the DRI would not be able to take the investigation to a logical conclusion, Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal is preparing to handover the case to the CIB.

Though Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister Narayan Kaji Shrestha has been saying that police should also be involved in the gold investigation process, Prime Minister Dahal has not been seen giving much importance to his demand.

A long discussion about the gold investigation was held at the Prime Minister’s Office in Singhadurbar on Thursday.

Prime Minister Dahal, Home Minister Shrestha, DRI Director General Nawaraj Dhungana, Additional Inspector General (AIG) Basanta Kunwar and CIB Chief Kiran Bajracharya were present in the meeting.

During the meeting, Home Minister Shrestha had urged Prime Minister Dahal to allow CIB to investigate the case.

But an argument broke out between Home Minister Shrestha and PM Dahal when the latter said that the DRI itself will conduct the investigation.

After that, Home Minister Shrestha left the meeting at 7:30 pm.

Though the Home Minister left the meeting, PM Dahal held the discussion with AIG Kunwar and CIB Chief Bajracharya.

On July 18, the DRI had confiscated around 100 kg of gold concealed in motorcycle brake shoes from Singamangal.

So far, police have arrested 18 persons in connection with the smuggled gold.