Former Deputy Inspector General Govinda Niraula and suspended Superintendent of Police Bikashraj Khanal have denied their involvement in the 33 kg gold smuggling case and the murder of an alleged gold runner.

Niraula and Khanal and 10 other accused recorded their statements at the Morang District Court on Monday.

In their statements, both Niraula and Khanal refuted the charges levelled against them.

Former DIG Niraula told the court that other than knowing the alleged gold smuggling mastermind, Chudamani Upreti aka Gore, as his friend’s son, he had no link whatsoever in the case.

Suspended SP Khanal also denied his involvement in the case,  a court official said.

The District Attorney’s Office, Morang, has filed a chargesheet against 63 people in connection to the gold smuggling case and the subsequent murder of Sanam Shakya.

The DA has recommended recovery of Rs 17 billion and an additional fine of Rs 18 million from the accused on the charges of organised crime, hostage-taking and murder.

Police have arrested 30 of the 63 accused so far; among the arrestees are senior police officers and the staff of Tribhuvan International Airport in Kathmandu.

The District Court has completed recording the statements of 27 suspects. SSP Dibesh Lohani and DSP duo Prajit KC and Sanjay Raut are scheduled to record their statements on Tuesday.

Nawaraj Dulal, the District Court registrar, said the formal trial will begin after the court has completed recording the statements of the accused.