Biratnagar High Court on Thursday upheld the Morang District Court’s ruling to keep the three suspects in the 33kg gold smuggling and Sanam Shakya murder case in judicial custody.

A division bench of Judge Thir Bahadur Karki and Judge Hari Prasad Bhandari handed down the decision that will keep the accused trio—Deputy Superintendent of Police Sanjaya Bahadur Raut, Tularam Tharu and Lakpa Sherpa—in custody as investigation into the case continues.  

A few days earlier, the High Court had also upheld the District Court’s decision to remand of three other suspects, Punya Prasad Lama, Sambir Tolange and Rajan Kumar.

Twenty-three suspects in the high profile gold smuggling and murder case had filed an appeal at the High Court against the District Court’s ruling.  

The High Court is yet to look into the case of the remaining 17 suspects, including Deputy Inspector General duo Govinda Niraula and Shyam Khatri, Senior Superintendent of Police Dibesh Lohani, Superintendent of Police Bikashraj Khanal, Deputy Superintendent of Police Prajit KC and Sub-Inspector Bal Krishna Sanjel.

The District Attorney’s Office, Morang, had filed a charge sheet against 63 suspects, recommending recovery of Rs 17 billion and a fine of Rs 18 million from them.

Police are yet to trace the whereabouts of the 33kg gold that was smuggled into the country from the Tribhuvan International Airport in Kathmandu in collusion with senior police officers and the airport staff.

A government inquiry team has presented Chudamani Upreti aka Gore as the mastermind of the gold smuggling racket believed to have moved nearly four tonnes of gold through the airport since July 2015. Gore is also accused of murdering Sanam Shakya, who was also part of the same racket, after the 33kg gold disappeared mid-delivery.