World
Nepal MP Arrested For Fake Degree From Bihar After He Asked Resignations Over Alleged Gold Smuggling Case
Nishtha Anushree
Aug 11, 2023, 02:54 PM | Updated 02:54 PM IST
Save & read from anywhere!
Bookmark stories for easy access on any device or the Swarajya app.
A Nepali legislator was apprehended on Thursday (10 August) for allegedly falsifying educational credentials. Sunil Kumar Sharma, an MP from the Nepali Congress, reportedly acquired a forged higher secondary academic degree from Bihar and employed it to pursue advanced studies in China.
Sunil Sharma, a Nepali Congress lawmaker, was arrested by a team from the Central Investigation Bureau (CIB) of Nepal Police in Kathmandu.
Sharma, representing Morang-3 in the House of Representatives for Nepal's ruling party, has close ties to the Shekhar Koirala faction within the Nepali Congress. His arrest has caused disturbances within the ruling coalition.
Sharma's apprehension comes shortly after he demanded the resignations of Home Minister Narayan Kaji Shrestha and Finance Minister Prakash Sharan Mahat. His demands were linked to the alleged smuggling of 100 kg of gold, which was seized in a raid the previous month.
Notably, 18 individuals, including an Indian and a Chinese national, were detained in connection with the smuggling of nearly 100 kg of gold, which evaded detection and passed through customs at Tribhuvan International Airport on the night of 18 July.
Sharma, who owns several medical colleges and private institutions, had suggested that the finance and home ministers step down to expedite the investigation into the gold smuggling incident. He reasoned that their departure from their positions could facilitate the inquiry.
However, Finance Minister Prakash Sharan Mahat rejected Sharma's demand, claiming that the MP was motivated by the government's refusal to grant insurance coverage to patients receiving treatment at his private hospital.
In the current scenario of ongoing controversies and scandals in Nepal and the global context, Sharma presented instances of immediate resignations from positions. He further advocated for the resignation of both ministers involved in the investigation.
Mahat dismissed Sharma's call for resignation, stating that the MP's anger stemmed from the government's rejection of his private hospital's insurance coverage request for patients.
Save & read from anywhere!
Bookmark stories for easy access on any device or the Swarajya app.
Nishtha Anushree is Senior Sub-editor at Swarajya. She tweets at @nishthaanushree.
Support Swarajya's 50 Ground Reports Project & Sponsor A Story
Every general election Swarajya does a 50 ground reports project.
Aimed only at serious readers and those who appreciate the nuances of political undercurrents, the project provides a sense of India's electoral landscape. As you know, these reports are produced after considerable investment of travel, time and effort on the ground.
This time too we've kicked off the project in style and have covered over 30 constituencies already. If you're someone who appreciates such work and have enjoyed our coverage please consider sponsoring a ground report for just Rs 2999 to Rs 19,999 - it goes a long way in helping us produce more quality reportage.
You can also back this project by becoming a subscriber for as little as Rs 999 - so do click on this links and choose a plan that suits you and back us.
Click below to contribute.