KATHMANDU, Feb 5: Hari Sharan Khadka, one of the fugitives of 33.5 kg gold scam, was arrested in United Arab Emirates some days ago, the Nepal Police Headquarters said on Tuesday.
The UAE Police will soon extradite Khadka to Nepal Police who had been absconding for one year, according to police sources.
The Nepal Police has already started process to bring him back home for further investigation. Khadka, aged 40, is a local resident of Kavre.
‘Top suspect’ in 33.5 kg gold case arrested in UAE
The Police Headquarters had issued red corner notice through Interpol against Khadka.
In a major gold smuggling case in Nepal, 33.5 kg gold had 'disappeared' mysteriously from Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA) in November 2017. The government formed a high-level committee to probe the 33.5 kg gold scam and Sanam Shakya murder case
The prime accused of the gold scam and murder case, Chudamani Upreti aka Gore, was arrested from the TIA on March 2, possessing 33.5 kg gold. The high-level committee has claimed that he carried out the smuggling of as much as 3,711 kg of gold valued at as much as Rs 17 billion since 2015.
Several police officials were arrested for allegedly taking a total bribe of about Rs 2.2 million for keeping mum while the large gold smuggling racket was in operation. A ledger maintained by Upreti was found which exposed various high ranking police officials' connection to the gold smuggling racket.
