KATHMANDU, Feb 6: The Central Investigation Bureau (CIB) of Nepal Police has arrested SSP Shyam Khatri for his alleged involvement in the recent 33 kg gold smuggling case.



CIB chief DIG Nawaraj Silwal said that Khatri was arrested after he was found guilty in the investigation process.



Earlier, Khatri was deployed at the Tribhuvan International Airport (TIA) but after the gold smuggling case, he was recalled to Nepal Police Headquarters.



For the CIB, however, Khatri became a suspect when he was found to be in regular contact with TIA customs official Shree Narayan Yadav. Earlier, police had taken Yadav and Raj Kumar Dhakal into custody for their alleged involvement in gold smuggling.



According to the source, CIB arrested Khatri based on the statements given by the suspects who have already been arrested for their alleged involvement in the case.



The arrestees are Gopal Bahadur Shahi, 43, of Nepalgunj-13 of Banke district, Dil Bandhu Thapa of Pathari-4 of Morang district and Santosh Kafle of Janakpur, Dhanusha.



Based on a tip-off, the CIB on January 5 had seized 33 kg of 'smuggled' gold from Pingalasthan of Kathmandu.



The precious yellow metal was cleared by the TIA Customs.



The seized gold was in the form of 282 gold biscuits, each of them weighing 10 tolas; 19 rings and 18 chains and was craftily hidden in the false bottom of suitcases.