The District Court Makwanpur has directed police to keep ward chairman of the municipality in custody for his alleged involvement in drug smuggling.

A single bench of district judge Swikrit Prajali on Wednesday directed police to detain ward chairman of Bahadurmai Municipality-7, of Parsa district, Prabhu Raut Kurmi on charge of drug smuggling.

Makwanpur police on March 17, 2018 had arrested an Indian man Ashok Kumar Dube with 3.7 kg marijuana from Manahari of Makwanpur. Both of them have been kept behind bars.

Ward chairman Kurmi was arrested based on the statement of the Indian man. Police said Kurmi has long been engaged in drug smuggling.