KATHMANDU: The Public Prosecutor’s Office in Kathmandu has registered a case at the Kathmandu District Court on Wednesday, naming four defendants.

The accused individuals in the case are Rahul, son of Maoist Center Vice Chairman Krishna Bahadur Mahara, Lokendra Kumar Poudel, Dawa Chhiring, and Nima Gurung.

Lokendra Kumar Poudel serves as the driver for Daojin Wang, the central figure in the gold smuggling case.

He was arrested in connection with smuggling 60 kg and 716 grams of gold concealed within Dawa’s brake shoe and remains in custody pending trial.

The case filed against them encompasses three distinct offenses: criminal treachery, customs evasion, and organized crime-related charges.

The incident was unveiled when Chinese citizen Lee Hongson, arriving from Fly Dubai, was found carrying 9 kg of gold hidden within 730 coins across 73 parcels.

The exposure of this smuggling operation followed the theft of gold worth Rs 85.55 million and 28 thousand 374 rupees from the customs office.

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CIB) took charge of the investigation and subsequently filed a case against five individuals.

Upon the recovery of the gold, Rahul, Krishna Bahadur Mahara, and other accomplices initially attempted to secure the release of the confiscated goods.

The CIB expanded its investigation upon discovering their involvement, leading to the arrest of Rahul Mahara.

However, former Speaker Krishna Bahadur Mahara’s involvement was limited to documentation only.