Rasuwa Congress leader involved in kidnapping of container driver over missing smuggled gold

Kathmandu, November 18 — A Nepali Congress district leader from Rasuwa has been found involved in the kidnapping of a container driver after gold smuggled from the Kerung border went "missing" on the way. The driver was kidnapped by a group that included Nurpusingi Tamang, the treasurer of the Nepali Congress in Rasuwa. He was arrested by the Valley Crime Investigation Office.

Nurpu, 38, is from Gosainkunda Rural Municipality-1, in Rasuwa. He, along with three others, kidnapped container driver Ram Krishna Waiba and his maternal cousin Nima Chiring Tamang, took them to Shailaja Resort in Budhanilakantha, and assaulted them. Investigators have confirmed Nurpu's presence at the crime scene.

Nurpu and his group were arrested on November 15. Those arrested along with him were Buddhim Bahadur Tamang from Gosainkunda-1, Tempa Nurpu Tamang from Gosainkunda-6, and Gopal Tamang from Kalika-1. All of the accused are affiliated with the Nepali Congress.

Buddhi Bahadur Tamang is a member of the Rasuwa Congress District Committee, and he had previously been imprisoned for involvement in a gold smuggling case. Tempa Nurpu is a member of the Tarun Dal Rasuwa District Committee, and Gopal Tamang had run for the position of ward chair in the 2017 local elections in Kalika Rural Municipality. According to police investigations, all four were part of the group smuggling the gold.

On July 9, the smuggling group hid gold in the overhead light of a container, which was carrying grapes. The driver, Ram Krishna, informed his cousin Nima Chiring about the smuggled gold, who then reported it to a police officer he knew. The police officer was stationed at the Police Headquarters. Based on this information, the Revenue Investigation Department (RID) sent an armed police team led by a DSP, who searched the container when it arrived in Kathmandu, but no gold was found.

After this, Ram Krishna and Nima were held in custody by the RID for 31 days but were released without the gold being recovered. After their release, the smuggling group kidnapped them. Ramkrishna later stated that after crossing Khani Khola, four individuals approached them, took the gold, and fled.

The police investigation concluded that Nurpun Singi's group kidnapped Ram Krishna and Nima to find out the whereabouts of the stolen gold.

Police are continuing their investigation into the thieves. The role of the police officer who was tipped off by Nima is also under suspicion. The officer is currently under investigation by the police.

The group that brought the gold from Rasuwa reportedly forced Ram Krishna and Nima to sign checks of 2 million each to be released after the kidnapping. Following the incident becoming public, the Valley Crime Investigation Office has arrested members of the gold smuggling group and is conducting further investigations.