Kathmandu, June 23

Police have arrested six persons for allegedly submitting fake academic credentials to Nepal Academy of Tourism and Hotel Management to obtain licence of authorised tourist guides.

Plainclothes cops from the Central Investigation Bureau of Nepal Police arrested them from the premises of the Department of Tourism at Pradarshani Marg yesterday. The suspects are Anil Maharjan, 26, and Ramesh Maharjan, 35, of Kathmandu; Rajiv Maharjan, 31, and Amrit Dangol, 31, of Lalitpur; and Kishor Chauguthi, 34, and Madhav Chalise, 43, of Bhaktapur.

SP Krishnahari Sharma, CIB spokesperson, said they had obtained the licence of Chinese tourist guide by submitting fake academic credentials of bachelor’s degree. The government has made it mandatory for a person to have at least bachelor’s degree with fluency in foreign language for obtaining tourist guide licence. “The six persons had been working as Chinese tourist guides in an unauthorised manner by submitting fake academic credentials,” SP Sharma informed. They have been charged with forgery of government seal and signature. Kathmandu District Court has remanded them to five-day judicial custody for further investigation into the case.

CIB has decided to broaden its coverage for crackdown on persons working in various government agencies with fake academic credentials.