May 1: The Anti-Money Laundering Investigation Department has released businessman Sulav Agrawal on condition of appearing before the department when required.

Agrawal, who is the operator of Shankar Group, has been facing four different charges including black marketing. He was released on bail by the Kathmandu District Court on Thursday but was immediately re-arrested by police and presented to the department.

After recording his statement for one and a half hours, the department on Thursday evening released Agrawal.

Agrawal’s lawyer confirmed that the businessman has been released and that the department will carry further investigation after the lockdown ends. Advocate Raman Karna told New Business Age that the department has fixed a date for Agrawal to appear before the officials for further interrogation.

Police clarified that they had to re-arrest Agrawal because the concerned authorities were yet to investigate into the money laundering charges against him.

It may be noted that an undercover team of Nepal Police had arrested Agrawal from a vehicle with diplomatic number plate while he was selling thermal guns at an exorbitant price on April 7. Agarwal was the honorary consul of Krygyzstan to Nepal but the government after the incident reportedly stripped him of diplomatic previledges.

According to the police, Agarwal was found selling thermal guns at a price five times higher than the market price. A thermal gun which normally costs around Rs 3500 each was sold for Rs 15,000 by Agrawal, according to police.