KATHMANDU: Lawmakers raised allegations that the electronic cigarette (vape) pens seized in Sindhupalchowk on Wednesday night were linked to Min Bahadur Gurung, the owner of Bhatbhateni Supermarket.
MP Manish Kumar Jha of the Rastriya Swatantra Party and Ganga Karki of the Maoist Center claimed that the 740 seized vape pens were recovered from a truck belonging to Gurung, a prominent businessperson who recently donated land to the CPN-UML.
The truck, carrying goods from the Bhatbhateni Superstore, was intercepted at the Tatopani Customs checkpoint in Sindhupalchowk.
“740 vape pens were seized from a truck carrying goods from Bhatbhateni Superstore,” said MP Jha during the House session. “I urge authorities not to protect Min Bahadur Gurung just because he donated land for the Prime Minister’s party office.”
Jha further pointed out that the truck was identified as belonging to Gurung’s business.
The seizure came alongside the discovery of 740 bags of cannabis, which were also confiscated from the same truck. The cannabis, packed in both small and large containers, was found at the Khursanibari temporary police post after a routine inspection of the truck entering Nepal from China through the Tatopani checkpoint.
The MPs questioned whether the connection to a land donor to the ruling party would shield Gurung from investigation.
“Shouldn’t action be taken against him? Or is he free from doing anything just because he a major UML donor?” asked MP Jha.
The Sindhupalchowk police confirmed the seizure of both the cannabis and vape pens, marking a significant haul at the temporary police post in Bahrabise. Authorities have stated that further investigations are underway to ascertain the full scope of the illegal goods transported.
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