KATHMANDU: The International Criminal Police Organization (INTERPOL) is set to issue a diffusion notice against Jeevan Chalaune, allegedly involved in the case of ‘smuggling’ 61 kilograms of gold hidden inside a motorcycle brake pad.
The National Central Bureau (NCB) Kathmandu, led by the Inspector General of Police, has requested the INTERPOL General Secretariat to issue a diffusion notice against Chalaune, involved in the international crime.
A senior official at the Police Headquarters informed an online news portal about this development.
Former Home Minister and Chairman of the Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP), Rabi Lamichhane, accused home ministry officials of being involved in absconding the accused. The issue had also been raised in the State Affairs and Good Governance Committee of the Parliament.
To apprehend the accused, Interpol is initiating the diffusion notice. After the notice is issued, the member countries of INTERPOL will locate whether the accused are in hiding or not. Following that, they will be deported, and the necessary legal procedures will be initiated in Nepal.
According to an official involved in the investigation, Chalaune had connections with a Belgian national named Chiring.
Chiring had messaged Chalaune, suggesting an idea of doing business with a Chinese gold group.
Later, Chalaune had sent a message assuring Chiring that everything was arranged.
The Department of Revenue Investigation had seized a significant amount of gold hidden inside the motorcycle brake pad on July 19.
Although initially, the seized object weighed a quintal, later, it was revealed after the test that only 61 kilograms of gold had been recovered during the search.
After 19 days, the department had filed a report for further investigation to the Central Investigation Bureau (CIB), suspecting the involvement of organized crime in this matter.
Following the investigation, the CIB had concluded that the group had smuggled an additional 302 kilograms of gold.
In this case, the CIB had accused 29 individuals. The case is sub-judice at the District Court, Kathmandu.
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