National
Extension of judicial custody sought
Government attorneys have demanded that all 30 suspects involved in the 33 kg gold smuggling case and the murder of an alleged gold runner be kept in judicial custody during investigation. The formal trial began on Thursday.Binod Bhandari & Madhav Ghimire
Government attorneys have demanded that all 30 suspects involved in the 33 kg gold smuggling case and the murder of an alleged gold runner be kept in judicial custody during investigation. The formal trial began on Thursday.
The attorneys made the demand during the hearing of the case at the Morang District Court arguing that all 63 chargesheeted suspects, including high-ranking police officials, were involved in the smuggling of gold at one point or another.
Joint Attorney General Gopal Rijal said that evidence gathered during the preliminary investigations suggested all of the suspects were guilty. Another District Attorney Punya Prasad Pathak also demanded the bench that further investigation be conducted into the case by keeping the suspects in judicial custody.
The District Attorney’s Office, Morang, has filed a chargesheet against 63 people in connection with the gold smuggling case and the subsequent murder of alleged gold runner Sanam Shakya on the charges of organised crime, hostage-taking and murder. The office has also recommended recovery of Rs17 billion and an additional fine of Rs18 million from the accused.
On Tuesday, the District Court had completed recording statements of 30 accused arrested so far. The 33kg gold smuggled through the Tribhuvan International Airport had mysteriously disappeared from Kathmandu.