Eight people have been arrested in the Nawalpur (Nawalparasi East) district on the charge of helping an Indian national obtain Nepali citizenship.

The arrestees also include Laxmi Prasad Sapkota, the chairman of ward 6 of the Gandakot municipality in the district. A ward member in Sapkota’s committee, Pabitra Sapkota, has also been arrested.

Sapkota is accused of issuing a recommendation letter to help Jamir Dewan of India get Nepali citizenship claiming he is Jamir Miya, a resident of the locality.

Whereas Sapkota had given the recommendation on March 14, Dewan had received the citizenship certificate from the District Administration Office a week later.

Before receiving the recommendation letter, he had also obtained a fake birth certificate also a few days ago.

Police Inspector Laxmi Pandey at the Gaindakot Area Police Office says her team is further looking into the case.