The report of the high-level probe commission on gold smuggling has prompted swift action from the government including the arrest of Dipesh Pun, son of former Vice President Nanda Bahadur Pun.

Dipesh had been evading arrest despite being suspected as a key figure behind the smuggling of 60 kg of gold last year.

The report was submitted to Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal by Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister Rabi Lamichhane on Friday. Lamichhane had received it from the commission on Thursday.

Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister Lamichhane told the Post’s sister publication Kantipur that Dipesh was arrested from Dhapasi in Kathmandu.

Likewise, the Department of Customs filed a case at the District Court Kathmandu against Jivan Kumar Gurung, an advisor to former Vice President Pun, who had allegedly helped in smuggling 138 kg of gold in several lots in 2022 and 2023 through the Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA), according to the District Attorney Office, Kathmandu.

District Attorney Khagindra Raj Katuwal said a case was filed against Gurung, who was arrested last month, seeking imprisonment and damages totalling Rs1.4 billion. Police had earlier arrested several other individuals in connection with the scam, but Gurung had been absconding.

The Cabinet has also decided to implement the recommendations of the probe report besides deciding to transfer Additional Inspector General (AIG) of Police Shyam Prasad Gyawali to the Central Investigation Bureau (CIB) to replace incumbent chief, AIG Kiran Bajracharya. Bajracharya has been accused in the report of sparing certain gold smuggling suspects from investigation.

“The Cabinet has decided to study the report and swiftly implement its recommendations,” Minister for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation Hit Bahadur Tamang told the Post. “Likewise, a new chief will be appointed at the CIB.”

Gyawali was serving at the police headquarters where Bajracharya has now been transferred.

“It is a routine transfer,” Minister for Communication and Information Technology Rekha Sharma told journalists after the Cabinet meeting. “If found guilty, just a transfer won’t be enough. [Legal] action will follow.”

The commission has recommended action against AIG Bajracharya on the charge of failing to investigate Maoist Centre Vice-chair and former home minister Krishna Bahadur Mahara, then director general of the Department of Immigration Jhalak Ram Adhikari, and former Nepal Police chief and UML leader Sarbendra Khanal in the gold scam.

Kantipur reported that the CIB did not investigate former police chief Khanal despite hints that Jeevan Chalaune, one of the accused in the 60 kg gold smuggling, and ex-IG Khanal were in constant touch regarding the smuggled gold.

Khanal, meanwhile, organised a press meet in Kathmandu on Friday and denied any involvement in the scam.

Police officials say Chalaune, while recording his statement with the investigators, had claimed Khanal was also involved in the smuggling, but his statement was ignored. Chalaune was not arrested immediately, but he has been evading authorities ever since.

Chalaune, meanwhile, told onlinekhabar.com in a video interview published on Friday that he is currently in New Delhi and would surrender to the court soon after returning to Nepal.

It is not that the key suspects in the gold smuggling cases were not under police net in the past. Dipesh Pun, son of former Vice President, and Jeevan Chalaune, one of the suspects in the 60-kg gold smuggling, had been released after recording their statements.

But members of the probe commission have been informing the media that the police failed to mention anything about Chalaune’s statement regarding the gold smuggling case, prompting questions whether evidence was intentionally destroyed.

Experts said that based on the reported finding of the probe commission, there is clear evidence of political influence on the CIB, preventing it from taking action against certain individuals.

“When big figures from political parties and the government are involved, conducting investigation becomes challenging due to immense pressure on the police by higher authorities,” said Former DIG Hemanta Malla Thakuri.

“Had there not been political influence or pressure, senior police officers involved in investigating the fake Bhutanese refugees scam would not have been transferred to police headquarters.”

In August last year, AIG Gyawali, then chief of the Kathmandu Valley Police Office who was at the head of the investigation on the refugee scam, had been transferred to the operations department of the Nepal Police headquarters following alleged pressure from then ruling Nepali Congress.

Experts, however, say police officers assigned for investigation should have guts to stand up to the political pressure to fulfil their duty. “If the allegations are true, AIG Bajracharya failed to maintain professional integrity,” said Malla.

He, however, said that there should be specific investigation into the allegations against senior police officers, as the probe commission typically operates with a broad mandate without going into specifics.

According to experts, the case is both an opportunity and challenge for the ruling parties, particularly the RSP and its chairperson and Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister Lamichhane.

In fact, the probe commission was formed as per the demand of then opposition parties—the UML and the RSP—after they accused the authorities of protecting gold smugglers.

With the change in the coalition earlier this month, the UML is now a major partner in the ruling alliance. Given the alleged involvement of ruling UML and Maoist Centre leaders, there are concerns over whether the government would dare to act against the accused.

“It is a big test for ruling parties, particularly Deputy Prime Minister Lamichhane who claims to have joined politics to clean up the mess created by old parties,” said former home secretary Umesh Mainali. “Importantly, he faces this challenge right after becoming the Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister.”

Lamichhane will also be judged in comparison with the performance of Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Narayan Kaji Shrestha, who had headed the home ministry under the immediate past coalition government, according to experts.

Under Shrestha’s watch, former deputy prime minister Top Bahadur Rayamajhi and former home minister Bal Krishna Khand, among others, were arrested and jailed in the fake Bhutanese refugee scam. A case was also lodged against 30 individuals including these former ministers in May last year.

Likewise, in September last year, a case was filed at the District Court, against 29 people in connection with the 60-kg gold smuggling case.

During Shrestha’s tenure as home minister, forgery cases were filed against 310 individuals including former ministers and incumbent and retired top bureaucrats for their alleged involvement in the Lalita Niwas land scam, in August last year.

“If Shrestha had not given green light, police probably would have avoided investigating top political leaders,” said former DIG Malla. “Lamichhane now has the challenge to top Shrestha’s achievement.”