A Nepali lawmaker, Sunil Kumar Sharma, found himself in cuffs on Thursday, facing allegations of fabricating educational certificates. According to reports, the Nepali Congress MP managed to acquire a high school diploma from Bihar, India, and employed it to further his education in China.
This revelation raised eyebrows as he represents Morang-3 in the House of Representatives. His alignment is with the Shekhar Koirala faction within the Nepali Congress.
Sharma’s academic credentials, specifically his I.Sc. certificate, have come under scrutiny as the National Examinations Board in Sano Thimi, Bhatkapur, revealed the certificate’s ‘non-verification’ status.
The grounds for Sharma’s arrest stem from Article 103 (6) of Nepal’s Constitution, which led to an investigation into an allegedly fraudulent academic certificate attributed to an Indian institute.
Interestingly, Sharma’s apprehension coincided with his prior call for the resignations of Home Minister Narayan Kaji Shrestha and Finance Minister Prakash Sharan Mahat. He demanded their accountability over a recent incident involving the seizure of 100 kg of smuggled gold.
Evidently, Sharma’s case is not an isolated occurrence. Certain medical practitioners also managed to attain Nepal Medical Council registrations by submitting counterfeit certificates from Indian institutions and participating in the council’s registration exams.
Sunil Kumar Sharma’s arrest elicited a reaction from fellow legislators, particularly within the (Unified Marxist–Leninist) UML party. During a House of Representatives session on Friday, UML MP Jwalakumari Sah voiced her objections to the apprehension of Congress MP Sunil Sharma. MP Sah argued that Sharma’s arrest seemed to diverge from legal norms.
Other Nepali Congress MPs have started raising concerns in the issue. Chandra Bhandari, a Nepali Congress MP, accused the government of a retaliatory motive behind MP Sunil Sharma’s arrest. Bhandari contested the necessity of detaining Sharma and keeping him in custody, suggesting that the arrest might not be rooted in valid reasons.