Rahul Mahara arrested in gold smuggling case

KATHMANDU: Rahul Mahara, the son of CPN (Maoist Center) Vice Chairman Krishna Bahadur Mahara, was apprehended on Wednesday by the Central Investigation Bureau (CIB) of Nepal Police in connection with a gold smuggling probe.

Rahul was arrested from his residence, according to a Home Ministry official.

As per CIB sources, Rahul had made multiple phone calls to Dawa Tamang, a Chinese national, and officials of the Tribhuvan International Airport Customs Office following the seizure of a consignment of vape products by the customs authorities. The investigation has shown that the racket smuggled gold into the country by concealing the yellow metal within vape products.

Rahul had posted a message on his social media handle earlier in the day that he would present himself to the CIB to facilitate the probe.

Sources say police had reached Mahara’s residence with an arrest warrant.