Son of Former Vice President, Dipesh Pun, Arrested

Dipesh Pun, the son of former Vice President Nanda Bahadur Pun, was apprehended by police on Friday in connection with allegations of cooperative fraud and gold smuggling. This arrest marks a critical turn in the ongoing investigation into financial malpractices and illicit activities within the country.

According to Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Home Affairs Rabi Lamichhane, Dipesh was taken into custody from Dhapasi following meticulous surveillance and investigation by law enforcement agencies.

The case against Dipesh gained traction last year when the Central Investigation Bureau (CIB) probed his suspected involvement in the smuggling of a significant quantity of gold. The gold, weighing 60.716 kilograms, was seized after it passed undetected through the customs office at Tribhuvan International Airport in July of the same year.

Previously, Dipesh had been interrogated by CIB officials regarding his alleged role in the smuggling operation. He was subsequently released under specific conditions, obligating him to cooperate with ongoing investigations.

Further complicating matters, depositors of the Pokhara-based Suryadarshan Savings and Credit Cooperatives lodged a formal complaint with district police on February 5. The complaint implicated Dipesh, along with former cooperative chair Gyan Bahadur Bomjan and several other entities, including companies allegedly associated with the fraud.