Kathmandu — The Revenue Investigation Department has filed a case against nine people, including five Indians, in the Patan High Court on charges of illegally smuggling gold. Two cases have been filed with a demand of Rs 260 million.

The Revenue Investigation Office, Bara Pathlaiya, has filed the case based on a police report during the investigation into the incident in which gold was seized while being smuggled illegally by the District Police Office, Makawanpur. Pathlaiya has filed the case in the Patan High Court with the permission of the Investigation Department.

According to the information released by the department’s spokesperson and Deputy Director General, Krishna Kumari Shrestha, the report states that the Makawanpur police have seized more than 8 kg (8243.970 grams) of gold.

A case has been filed against Ayush Sapkota of Kavrepalanchok Mandan Deupur Municipality-9, Rabindra Waiba Tamang of Panauti Municipality-1, Binod Pun of Parbat Jaljala Rural Municipality-5, Indian citizens Ajinath Kute, Rahul Vitthal Bad, Rahul Gorakh Dagde and Hanmant Vitthal for transporting the gold.

A total of 242.5 million 87 thousand including the fine have been demanded from them.

Similarly, a charge sheet has been registered against Soni Kumari Shah of Saptari Rajbiraj Municipality-1 and Sujit Saraf of Bihar, India, for illegally transporting 491.13 grams (less than half a kilo) of gold in the Hetauda Bench of the Patan High Court.

Sujit has also been produced before the court. Jewelry and some small pieces of gold were seized in the night while they were being taken to Kathmandu on a scooter. All the seized gold has been handed over to the Nepal Rastra Bank.

According to Hari Prasad Sharma, Chief of the Revenue Office Pathalaiya, the charge sheet has been registered based on the report of the Makawanpur Police, which investigated both incidents. It has been demanded that 13.468 million rupees be recovered from them as compensation and fine.