KATHMANDU: The Special Court has ordered the release of former Speaker and leader of the Nepali Communist Party Krishna Bahadur Mahara on bail of Rs 100,000 in connection with a high-profile gold smuggling case involving electronic cigarettes (vape).
A joint bench of judges Sudarshan Dev Bhatta and Bidur Koirala issued the order for his release on bail.
The case was filed by the Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA) on April 9, accusing Mahara of involvement in smuggling gold hidden inside electronic cigarettes (vapes). The case also includes his son Rahul Mahara and 28 other individuals.
According to the CIAA charge sheet, the accused allegedly operated an organized smuggling network by concealing small pieces of gold inside vape devices imported from China and selling them in foreign markets.
The commission has named the father and son as key planners in the alleged network. It claims that gold was smuggled via vape devices during 2022–2023 with the involvement of a Chinese network.
The CIAA has sought action against all 28 accused under corruption, organized crime, and money laundering laws, demanding penalties worth Rs 70 million in the case.
Earlier, Mahara had also been charged at the Kathmandu District Court, which sent him to judicial custody. However, the Patan High Court later ordered his release on Rs 2 million bail on November 27, 2025.
The latest Special Court order now allows his release upon the reduced bail amount while the case proceedings continue.
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