Morang, Oct. 5: The Morang District Court on Tuesday convicted six people in the 33 kg gold scam and sentenced them to life imprisonment. The six also include Chudamani Upreti, who was involved in the murder of Sanam Shakya in course of involvement in the scam.

A bench of District Court Judge Bharat Lamsal sentenced six of the accused, including Upreti of Urlabari, Morang, to life in prison, while the seventh person was sentenced to three years and the eighth to six months in prison said records keeper at the court Tikendra Birjung Rana.

Along with Upreti, Tekraj Malla Thakuri, Lakpa Sherpa, Mohan Kafle, Narendra Karki alias Krishna and Bhojraj Bhandari alias Bhoje Mama have been sentenced to life imprisonment. The court sentenced Rajan Kumar to three years imprisonment and Madan Prasad Ghimire alias Madhav to six months imprisonment said Rana. Of the 77 accused in the case, 48 have been acquitted and the case has been adjourned as 21 are absconding, he said.

A case was filed in the district court of Morang on April 2018 under four headings including Illegal trade in gold smuggling, abduction, hostage-taking and murder with the operation of an organized gang.