Indian family arrested for acquiring fake Nepali citizenship

Six members of an Indian family have been arrested in Saptari for acquiring Nepali citizenships by submitting false details. Their citizenships have been annulled.

The district court on March 23 gave a verdict that Indian national Gangadhar Yadav, chief of the family, had obtained Nepali citizenship by claiming his Nepali mother-in-law as his own mother. His two sons, two daughters-in-law and a grandson had acquired citizenship by descent.

Gangadhar, 70, his son Kamaldev Yadav, 50, daughter-in-law Gulabidevi Yadav, 45, the other son Amarendra Yadav, 40, daughter-in-law Mamtadevi Yadav, 35, and Kamaldev's son Vivekananda Yadav, 20, have been convicted.

A bench of district judge Rita Bakhrel sentenced Gangadhar to three years imprisonment and a fine of Rs 20,000, Kamal Dev and Amarendra to two years imprisonment and a fine of Rs 10,000 each and Gulab Devi, Mamta Devi and Vivekananda to one year imprisonment and a fine of Rs 10,000 each.

Arun Kumar Yadav of Dakneshwari Municipality-2, Saptari had filed a complaint against the family alleging that they had obtained fake citizenship by submitting false details. After Arun lodged a complaint on November 3, the District Administration Office, Saptari, wrote a letter to the police on November 4 to proceed with investigation.

Gangadhar was married to Subhadra Devi of Dakneshwari Municipality-2 of Nepal 50 years ago. Later he also married an Indian woman whom he has kept in India. When Subhadra went to live with her mother in Nepal instead of going to Gangadhar’s house in Ghoghadiha of Bihar, India, Gangadhar used the name of Subhadra 's mother Bilti Devi to make a Nepali voting card for himself. Later, he even got citizenship by falsifying documents.

After receiving the complaint, local authorities found that the citizenship number 71022614 issued in the name of Bilti Devi, which was mentioned in her land ownership certificate, was submitted as one of the supporting documents.