Police bust members of document forgery racket from Kathmandu

KATHMANDU: Police this week arrested eight persons allegedly involved in producing fake citizenship certificates, driving licences, marriage and death registration certificates as well as other academic degrees of various universities in Nepal, from various locations of Kathmandu.

They were found using forging seals and holograms of government offices and signatures of officials.

The arrested have been identified as Shobhakar Khanal (40) from Gulmi, Bal Krishna Shrestha (60) from Kathmandu, Muktinath Dhakal (40) from Gorkha, Nirmal Khadka (38) from Palpa, Pravin Karki (27) from Godavari, Shree Ram Aryal from Makawanpur, Salikram Aryal (38) from Dhading and Ashok Bista (20) from Kanchanpur.

Acting on a tip-off, a special police team was deployed from the Metropolitan Police Crime Division to carry out raids in various places of the Valley and nab the suspects on Monday and Tuesday.

Police said the racket would charge Rs 6,000-12,000 to obtain a forged document.

They had maintained a coordination system for functioning in which some were assigned to find potential clients while some would actually forge seals and signatures. They would even reach as far as India to duplicate holograms, according to police.

Police seized dozens of forged papers and equipment used in the process from their possessions.

Meanwhile, police said they would be indicted for government seal and signature forgery.

The MPCD handed over them to the Teku-based Metropolitan Police Range, Kathmandu for further investigation and action.