KATHMANDU, July 23: The gold importer company 'Ready Traders Pvt Ltd, which was registered only three months ago, was found to be registered in the name of 21-year-old Dilip Bhujel, according to the Department of Revenue Investigation (DRI). Bhujel has already been arrested for being the owner of a company that imports gold illegally. Sources say that this company was registered for importing spare parts of motorcycles and scooters.
DRI recovered a large amount of gold concealed in the brake shoes of two-wheelers and shaving razors after they passed customs clearance from Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA). The gold was recovered from a taxi in Sinamangal when it was cleared by airport customs and was already taken out of the TIA premises.
It has been found that Bhujel, who is purported to be the owner of the company involved in illegally importing gold worth billions of rupees, is from an economically weak background. Those who know him closely claim that his family lives in Kathmandu as wage laborers. This has raised further suspicions as to who is the main owner of the 100 kilograms of illegally imported gold.
Bhujel is a permanent resident of Melung Rural Municipality-1, Dolakha, (previously Pavati Rural Municipality-2), Hira Kumar Tamang, chairman of the rural municipality told Republica.
“I know him well. He is not a person of high status. Nor is his family's position capable of running such a big company,” said Chairman Tamang. According to Chairman Tamang, Bhujel is a person who has been living in Kathmandu as a daily wage earner. Bhujel, who is said to be the owner of Ready Traders Pvt. Ltd., is said to have been arrested by the team of DRI after collecting information about him.
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Not only Dilip Bhujel, but Ramkumar Bhujel, 53, a resident of Melung Rural Municipality-3 and currently residing in Swayambhu, Kathmandu, who was arrested for being involved in gold smuggling, is also from a poor financial background, said chairman Tamang. He said that he was aware that Ramkumar Bhujel was making a living by driving a taxi in Kathmandu.
“It is unbelievable that the company of both of them smuggles such a large amount of gold from abroad. Someone else has a hand in it in some way. Even if they are involved, they may have been lured for some money,” said chairman Tamang. So far, eight people including Dilip Bhujel and Ramkumar Bhujel have been arrested in the case. Among the others arrested are 49-year-old Harka Raj Rai of Arun Rural Municipality-4 in Bhojpur and currently residing in Budhanilkantha in Kathmandu, Thapten Chhiring, an Indian citizen of Tibetan origin, taxi driver Ashok Lama and customs agent Rajendra Rai.
Besides them, Chinese national Ling Chuwan was also arrested on suspicion of being involved in this case. After receiving information that he was preparing to leave Nepal, the team of DRI informed the immigration office of the Tribhuvan International Airport. The immigration team arrested him and handed him over to DRI. It has been revealed that Ling has been in Nepal for seven months. Similarly, DRI said that two more people were arrested from Koteshwar on Thursday evening. Their identities have not been disclosed.
Weight along with gold is 155 kg
According to Babarmahal-based Mint Division of Nepal Rastra Bank, the total weight of the recovered items including gold is 155 kg. Thaneshwar Acharya, head of the division, said that the weight of the recovered gold was taken after reaching the Mint Division on Thursday afternoon. Acharya said that the exact quality of gold is yet to be determined.
He said, “The test has yet to be done. The amount of other metals is not known. As it has been sealed and brought, the weight of the entire packaging has been measured.” The gold is placed in eight packets.
Probe committee formed to investigate gold smuggling case
A six-member committee has been formed under the leadership of Man Bahadur Paudel, director of the Investigation Branch of the Department of Customs to investigate how the gold passed the Tribhuvan International Airport customs check. The committee has been given five days to investigate and submit its report.
10 days detention allowed
DRI presented six people arrested on the charge of gold smuggling to the Patan High Court on Thursday and sought permission for investigation. The court has allowed the department to keep them in custody for 10 days and conduct an investigation. According to the Patan High Court, six people, including the arrested Chinese citizen Ling Chuwan, were allowed to be detained for 10 days.
