The Kathmandu District Court has ordered former Speaker Krishna Bahadur Mahara to be sent to judicial custody for pre-trial detention. The order was issued by a bench of Judge Hark Bahadur Kshetri.
Mahara was arrested on charges of gold smuggling through electronic cigarettes (vapes). The statement hearing took place on Tuesday, and after concluding the arguments on Wednesday, the court decided to remand him in custody.
According to the charge sheet, the government has demanded a fine of NPR 85.5 million and a prison sentence of more than three years against Mahara. The Central Investigation Bureau (CIB) of Nepal Police had arrested him last Sunday, alleging that he used his influence to pressure customs officials to release gold hidden inside electronic vapes seized at the airport.
The case dates back to December 25, 2022 (Poush 10, 2079 BS), when a Chinese national named Li Hansong arrived in Kathmandu from Dubai on flight number FZ 0587. Customs officials found two suspicious suitcases containing electronic vapes, which were seized for further inspection. Li left Nepal the next day after reclaiming his passport, but the vapes remained in customs custody for a long time.
Later, airport staff allegedly swapped the vapes, and when suspicions arose, the customs office requested CIB on May 9, 2023 (Baisakh 26, 2080 BS) to investigate. After a two-month investigation, CIB concluded that 9 kilograms of gold had been smuggled through the vapes and filed cases against six individuals, including customs officer Rebant Khadka.
In a supplementary prosecution, Belgium-based Chinese national Dawa Chhiring, his driver Lokendra Paudel, Rahul Mahara, and Nima Gurung were also charged as accomplices. Mahara was recently interrogated in connection with the case before being taken into custody.
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