Two arrested in Pokhara with jewelry worth over Rs 13 million

POKHARA: Police in Kaski have arrested two individuals with nearly Rs 13.5 million worth of illegal gold ornaments. The arrest was made during a routine check on a microbus traveling from Pumdibhumdi toward Butwal.

According to Kaski District Police, those arrested are 49-year-old Kuldeep Singh, a resident of Amritsar, Punjab, India, and 47-year-old Ram Bahadur Bik from Tilottama Municipality-16, Rupandehi.

Authorities recovered 82 tolas of gold jewelry from their possession.

The seized items, including chains, rings, earrings, bangles, lockets, mangalsutra, and beads, have a market value of approximately Rs 13,041,008.

Preliminary investigations revealed that Singh and Bik had been in contact via social media for about three years.

Singh, who reportedly sells gold jewelry across various Indian states, had planned to expand his trade to Nepal.

The gold jewelry was brought from a store owned by Amarjeet Sahu in Amritsar, with the intention of selling it in Nepal. Ram Bahadur Bik is said to have assisted in the operation in exchange for a share of the profits, as per his initial statement to police.

Further investigation into the case is ongoing, informed DSP Hari Bahadur Basnet, spokesperson for the Kaski District Police Office.