HETAUDA, March 7: The police have arrested Ram Chandra Aryal, an officer working at the 6th level of the Bagmati Provincial Assembly Secretariat in Hetauda-10, on charges of providing Nepali citizenship to two Chinese nationals involved in gold smuggling.

Earlier, Aryal was transferred to the Bagmati Provincial Assembly Secretariat from the Transport Management Office, Thulo Bharyang, Kathmandu.

Makwanpur Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Laxmi Bhandari said that Aryal was arrested from the Provincial Assembly Secretariat on Wednesday at the request of Kavre Police. "Aryal was arrested in a case related to citizenship and handed over to Kavre police," he said.

Aryal is accused of facilitating foreigners involved in gold smuggling to get Nepali citizenship while he was employed at Kavre District Administration Office. It was revealed through the police investigation that the District Administration Office, Kavrepalanchowk, through employees including Aryal, granted citizenship to the gold smuggler on the basis of descent. Aryal was a non-gazetted first class officer when Chinese citizens were granted citizenship.

The Central Investigation Bureau (CIB) of Nepal Police is investigating the incident. On January 4, 2018, the Kavre district administration office issued citizenship to Dawa Tsering, a Belgian citizen of Tibetan origin, and Dawajin Wang, a Chinese citizen, on the basis of descent. The citizenship details of Tsering and Wang were revealed by the police investigation which was entered into the computer system by Aryal himself. Aryal served at the District Administration Office, Kavrepalanchowk, till 2075 BS.

Further investigations have shown that Aryal, along with Jhapendraraj Kharel, was assigned by the Kavre administration to issue new citizenships and passports to foreign nationals. The then Chief District Officer was Shiva Prasad Simkhada.

Police investigation has also revealed that Dawa Tsering took citizenship in the name of Nima Tamang and Wang in the name of Pasang Tamang. They are being investigated on the basis that Ram Chandra Aryal issued recommendations for the citizenship certificates and Jhapendraraj Kharel was the one who issued it. An investigation committee formed by the Ministry of Home Affairs under the coordination of Under Deputy Secretary Krishna Bahadur Katuwal confirmed that two Chinese nationals had been issued Nepali citizenship certificates and that action was recommended against the then officers Kharel and Aryal.

 
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