Pema Dhandul Gurung, 17, and Lhwamu Chhiring Gurung, 19, who had obtained Nepali citizenship certificates on April 17 by producing fake documents, were arrested the next day while applying for US visas. [break]
Police also arrested Thuten Gurung, 69, of Charang VDC-4 in Mustang, and Rinjin Wangdi Gurung, of Lomanthang-3 in Mustang. While Thuten had posed as Pema and Lhwamu´s grandfather, Rinjin had brokered a deal between them.
Diki Dolkar Gurung, Yangchen Gurung and Chhiring Yangjom Gurung, who also obtained Nepali citizenships by producing fake documents, are still absconding. Ravi Chandra Jamarkattel, ward committee secretary of Pokhara-5, who recommended for their citizenship, is also out of contact.
Pema, Lhwamu, Diki, Yangchen and Chhiring, whose real names and addresses are yet to be ascertained, had obtained Nepali citizenships by claiming to be the wife and children of Wuchung Tempa Gurung -- Thuten´s son. As Wuchung lives in the US, they were also planning to go there by producing fake Nepali citizenships.
Police say all the five arrested might be Tibetan refugees seeking to fly to the US. Police also claim that they must have bribed Thuten and Jamarkattel.
Surya Prasad Kafle, under secretary at Kaski District Administration Office, had approved three of the five citizenships while the other two were approved by section officer Puspha Raj Paudel. However, police are not investigating Kafle and Paudel´s possible involvement in the forgery.
Chet Narayan Bhattarai, chief district officer (CDO) of Kaski, has already revoked all the five citizenships.
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