KATHMANDU, Aug 2: It has been found that the government has exonerated Bimal Poddar, a businessman involved in gold smuggling for a long time, by forming a High-level Commission relating to Gold Smuggling Control, 2080. This high-level commission formed to investigate gold smuggling in the country has given Poddar a clean chit! Poddar has been mentioned in the commission’s report submitted to the government. According to a source, he has been involved in gold smuggling for the past 16 years.
“In the present situation where the evidence collected so far does not substantiate the charges, it is not appropriate to recommend prosecution only on the basis of mobile contacts with the accused related to gold smuggling," the commission’s report mentions about Poddar on page 369.
It is mentioned in the report that upon evaluating the evidence collected by the commission, although it was established that there was communication between Poddar and those involved in gold smuggling, there was no circumstantial evidence. The report also states that Poddar cannot be immediately prosecuted based on his separation from his business partner, Deepak Malhotra.
It is stated in the report that there is no condition requiring him (Poddar) to be prosecuted, even though previous reports admitted Poddar’s involvement in gold smuggling. The high-level commission to investigate gold smuggling was formed under the coordination of former High Court judge Dilliraj Acharya. The commission comprises Kishorjung Karki, Sahakul Thapa, and Premraj Joshi as members.
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The commission to investigate gold smuggling was formed following the demand of the then opposition party, the CPN-UML, which is currently leading the government. The commission was formed by a Cabinet meeting held in September, 2023. The commission was given a deadline of 3 months to submit the report. However, the commission took six months to submit the report.
It seems that the commission did not want to investigate Poddar's case at all. The report indicates that the probe questioned Deepak Malhotra, Poddar’s former business partner, about Poddar. Malhotra reported that Poddar was an old business partner but is no longer a partner and is not in touch with him at present.
It is not certain whether his acquittal was based solely on this. However, Nepal Police has consistently confirmed Poddar's involvement in some way in gold smuggling over the years. Regardless of police investigation reports that show Poddar’s involvement in gold smuggling, the commission has found him innocent!
In 2012, an investigation by the Central Investigation Bureau (CIB) revealed that Murarilal Goyal (Jamaliya), Balkrishna Agarwal, Pawan Agarwal, Bimal Poddar, Satyanarayan Kukra (Soni), Ghanshyam Kukra, Gopal Kukra, Rajesh Agarwal, Bikky Agarwal, Ghanshyam Agarwal, Gyamjo Lama, Mohan Kumar Agarwal, Sanjay Pandey, and Balram Gupta were actively involved in gold smuggling.
Similarly, Gyan Kumar Shrestha, Meen Bahadur Gurung, Kanya Prasad Gurung, Vinod Kumar Soni, Radhakrishna Kukra, Krishna Prasad Khadka, Suman Agarwal were also involved in gold smuggling, according to the CIB report. Prabhu Sarraf, Umesh Ssah, Rambabu Sah, Rajni Shah and Raj were found to be active in gold smuggling in Birgunj. The police investigation has shown that Poddar definitely has some connection with them.
Accused of being involved in the 33 kg gold smuggling case of 2017, Poddar was also found to be involved in the 14 gold brought from Dubai in 2023. To investigate the 33 kg gold case, the government had formed a high-level committee led by Joint Secretary Ishwarraj Paudel of the Ministry of Home Affairs.
During the committee's investigation, Poddar was arrested on June 20, 2018. The District Court Morang had ordered to send him to custody for investigation in the case of organized gold smuggling. Later, Poddar was released on bail by the High Court.
