Kathmandu, November 26
Whereas the report prepared by a government committee to investigate into the smuggling of 33.5 kg gold by a gang led by Chudamani Upreti aka ‘Gore’ gathers dust at the Prime Minster’s Office, the chief of Nepal Police was found to have attended a retreat function with a suspect of the case.
IGP Sarbendra Khanal is learned to have attended the event along with Thakur Dhungana hosted by the Non-Resident Nepali Organisation during his recent visit to the United Arab Emirates.
Dhungana, a permanent resident of Nilakantha Municipality in Dhading district, is accused of partnering with Gore for illegal hundi transactions that helped the gang in the smuggling of precious metal as well. Currently, he has some businesses in the UAE.
The NRNA committee in the UAE had taken IGP Khanal among other delegates to a retreat in a hilly side on Thursday last week, an NRNA official informs Onlinekhabar. Dhungana was also there.
The NRNA had its meeting the next day. Dhungana, as an NRN businessman, had sat behind Khanal during the meeting. He had also delivered a speech at the function.
During the function, NRNA UAE President Ramesh Shrestha had repeatedly requested the participants not to capture photographs citing it was just an informal event.
Meanwhile, some Nepalis in the UAE had claimed they were planning to tip off the IGP about Dhungana, and they were sad when the IGP was seen with the suspect.
Another source informs that IGP Khanal also held a meeting with businessman Deepak Manhotra, whom trader Bimal Poddar named as another member of the smuggling racket.
Khanal was in Dubai to attend the 87th Interpol General Assembly last week.
