The Department of Revenue Investigation (DRI) has focused its survellience radar on another businessman Sanjay Babaiya in the course of tracking down the owner of 100 kilos of gold smuggled into Nepal from Hong Kong.
The DRI has found that Sanjay has been active in importing gold from Hong Kong and UAE to Kathmandu for a long time. Now, the DRI has upped its surveillance on him based on the fact that he sold some gold to a merchant in Kathmandu.
An official at the DRI says an investigation is underway to determine whether Babaiya is an Indian or Nepali. The DRI has concluded that there is another person working behind the Ready Trade Pvt.
Rakesh Adukia, another businessman linked to the 100 kg gold smuggling case, also travels using an Indian passport. His name in Indian passport is Rohan Adukia.
But all the three persons have registered different companies in Nepal in the name of Rakesh Adukia. Businessman Deepak Malhotra has been on the surveillance of the DRI since the beginning.
Before the DRI launched the operation, it received information that gold was coming from Hong Kong in his name, an official said.
A team of the DRI recovered about 100 kilos of gold from Sinamangal when it was taken out of Tribhuvan International Airport after passing customs clearance.
After the recovery of gold packed in brake shoes, the DRI is keeping close tabs on businessmen Rakesh Adukia, Deepak Malhotra and Babaiya, who were involved in gold smuggling in the past.
However, Malhotra denied the allegations by holding a press conference as soon as his name was linked to gold smuggling.
After his name was included, Rakesh, who contacted Nepalkhabar on Thursday, claimed that his name was included to protect the prime suspect. The DRI said he is out of contact. Even in a conversation with Nepalkhabar, he did not want to disclose his whereabouts.
The DRI, which is in the process of collecting the evidence of the three persons, is studying the connection of Sanjay Babaiya.
"We have gathered some strong evidences of Sanjay Babaiya's involvement in the gold smuggling case," a DRI source told Nepalkhabar,” "He is a big businessman, it seems that he smuggles gold, passes it, and sells it in the market."
Some businessmen of Kathmandu have bought gold from him. Among them, the DRI team has reached out to a gold and silver businessman in New Road. It has been confirmed that he bought gold from Babaiya.
On July 18, 100 kilos of gold that was brought into Nepal was ready to be sold to the Nepali market and taken to India.
However, the gold was confiscated midway while being taken to the destination.
After recovering the gold, the DRI is raiding the houses and companies of the suspected persons. A gold casting machine has been found in the warehouse of the arrested Chinese citizen in Baluwatar in the course of collecting evidences.
After involving the police, more facts are being collected from their travel history, call detail records (CDR), CCTV footage and forensic lab.
The DRI has arrested 17 people in connection with the gold smuggling case. Those arrested are Harkraj Rai, Zeqiang Lin, Saroj Shrestha, Santosh Chand, Yadav Parajuli and Sudarshan Gautam.
Similarly, there are Dilip Bhujel, Ramkumar Bhujel, Rajendra Kumar Rai, Ashok Lama, Thupten Chhiring, Ramkumar Bhujel, Pushkar Raj Bhatta, Rajan Kumar Shrestha, Krishna Kumar Shrestha and Rukmina Subba.
