The Kathmandu District Court on Monday released Jivan Kumar Gurung, a foreign affairs advisor to former Vice President Nanda Bahadur Pun, on Rs1.5 million bail.

A single bench of judge Madhav Prasad Adhikari ordered his release, said Chandra Prasad Panthi, information officer at the court.

The Department of Customs filed a case at the District Court Kathmandu against Gurung for allegedly helping in smuggling 138 kg of gold in several lots in 2022 and 2023 through the Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA).

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 at that time.