The Morang District Court has taken statements from five suspects held in connection with the 33 kg gold smuggling case and the murder of an alleged smuggler, Sanam Shakya.

The statements of five murder suspects—Rajan Kumar, Madan Prasad Ghimire, Mohan Kafle, Lakpa Sherpa and Narendra Karki—were presented before District Judge Narayan Prasad Sharma. Nawaraj Dulal, the registrar, said the court would hear from another murder accused Ekraj Malla Thakuri on Sunday. The court plans to grill 29 accused by Tuesday.

The District Attorney’s Office (DAO) filed a charge sheet against all 63 suspects on Wednesday, recommending Rs17 billion and Rs18 million in fines in line with the report prepared by a high-level committee and investigation carried out by the Morang District Police Office.

The high-level committee headed by Joint-secretary Ishwor Poudel said in its report that Chudamani Upreti aka Gore, the alleged mastermind of gold smuggling, and his accomplices had smuggled 3,999.6 kg gold since July 2015.

The DAO has filed such charges as organised crime, murder, abduction and hostage against the accused. According to the document, a graft charge will also be filed at the Commission for Investigation of Abuse of Authority against 11 government officials caught in connection with the crime.

Former Deputy Inspector General Govinda Niraula, Senior Superintendent of Police Dibesh Lohani, Superintendent of Police Bikashraj Khanal, Deputy Superintendent of Police duo Prajit KC and Sanjaya Raut, Sub-inspector Balkrishna Sanjel and Police Constable Bishnu Khadka and four employees of the Nepal Airlines Corporation are in custody.

Suspected smugglers have been nabbed but there are no clues where the 33 kg gold they smuggled is. Legal practitioners argue that there could be a lack of clear evidence as the smuggled gold remains to be traced.

“It is still unknown where the smuggled gold, which is the main proof of the case. So it is not clear how the case reaches its conclusion,” said Gyanendra Thapa, chairman of the Morang Bar Association. He said the government should cooperate with the court to conclude the case that has been registered.