A special team formed by the Ministry of Home Affairs to probe the 33 kg gold smuggling case on Sunday arrested former Deputy Inspector General of Police Govinda Niraula.

According to a source, former DIG Niraula was taken into custody after the special probe team recorded his statement and has been detained at New Baneshwor Police Circle office. Niraula will be taken to Biratnagar on Monday.

The 33 kg gold had gone missing from Kathmandu after it was smuggled through Tribhuvan International Airport. The smuggling incident drew attention following the murder of Sanam Shakya of Urlabari, Morang.

As per the source, distrust amongst the group involved in the smuggling of the precious metal led to the murder of Shakya, who was allegedly brutally thrashed and electrocuted to death. A video of the murder was also taken where Shakya, during the beating, had called out the name of former DIG Niraula.

Earlier, the Metropolitan Police Crime Division had begun investigation into the matter. However, the Home Ministry suspected laxity in the police probe and directed the Police Headquarters to recall three people including MPCD SSP Dibesh Lohani, DSP Prajit KC to the headquarters.

The Central Investigation Bureau (CIB) of Nepal Police on January 5, 2017 had confiscated 33kg gold from the Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA) that had passed undetected through the customs.