KATHMANDU, Aug 11: Even though the Central Investigation Bureau (CIB) of Nepal Police proved that Sunil Sharma's educational certificate was fake eight years ago, he was arrested for an investigation only on Thursday. The CIB said that Nepali Congress lawmaker and medical entrepreneur Sharma was arrested on the charge of forging his ISC educational qualification certificate. Sharma was arrested by the CIB team from his house in Golfutar, Kathmandu. Along with him, the police arrested Dr Ranjit Kumar Yadav, Dr Amit Chaudhary, Dr Ram Babu Yadav and Dr Elina Shah on the charge of possessing fake certificates.

In the year 2073 BS, Sharma, who was absconding when the ‘Operation Quack' was launched by the then CIB chief DIG Nawaraj Silwal, was arrested during the CIB operation named ‘Charlie Foxtrot’, which was conducted by CIB Chief AIG Kiran Bajracharya to investigate fake educational certificates. According to AIG Bajracharya, CIB has conducted operation 'Charlie Foxtrot' to find fake doctors and fake educational certificate holders. Sharma was arrested under this operation. “We have continued the investigation into old cases, he was arrested, others are also on the arrest list,” said AIG Bajracharya. Police sources claim that Sharma himself added the number in the ISC certificate for MBBS studies. According to another source, he had brought a fake ISC certificate from an Indian college. “When his records was not found from the list of old files of the National Examination Board and the Medical Council as well, it was concluded that he should be investigated,” a CIB source said, “Everything will be revealed after the investigation.”

CIB conducted Operation Quack in mid-May, 2016 but Sharma could not be arrested that time. He was listed as a fugitive. In the second phase of the same year, Sharma could not be arrested when 26 doctors with fake educational certificates were arrested on June 18.

After knowing that he would be arrested, Sharma fled to Japan. At that time, when the police started chasing him through Operation Quack, he reached the then Nepali Congress General Secretary Shashank Koirala and CPN (Maoist Center) leader Barshaman Pun. At that time, it is understood that the police reached Dubai to search for him.

Sharma was elected as a member of the House of Representatives from Morang Constituency-3. A few days ago, he demanded the resignation of Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister Narayan Kaji Shrestha and Finance Minister Prakash Sharan Mahat for their involvement in the gold smuggling case. The leaders of the Nepali Congress establishment party and the Maoists were displeased because he raised his voice in parliament. Sources claim that Sharma, who went to China in 2007 and got an MBBS certificate, did his internship in his own college.

The CIB has informed the Speaker of the House of Representatives about the arrest of NC lawmaker Sharma. The information about the arrest of the member of the House of Representatives Sharma was provided by the CIB to the Speaker Devraj Ghimire in accordance with Article 103 (6) of the Constitution. It is mentioned in the constitution that if a member of parliament is arrested on a criminal charge, the arresting officer must inform the presiding officer of the respective parliament. The information that he was arrested on the charge of forging his educational certificate of proficiency certificate level from an institution in India has been mentioned by the CIB in a letter addressed to the Speaker. According to the CIB, the arrest was made based on the letter dated July 22 from National Examination Board, Sanothimi, Bhaktapur.

 
• CIB
 
• ISC
 
• investigation