Tibetan arrested for gambling found with Nepali citizenship

Kathmandu, September 23 — Sonam Wangel, a Chinese citizen from Tibet Autonomous Region arrested for gambling in Bouddha, has been found in possession of Nepali citizenship. The 24-year-old obtained the citizenship under the name Sonam Tamang from the District Administration Office in Dhading.

On September 20, a team from the Kathmandu Valley Crime Division apprehended Sonam and six others while they were playing a gambling game called 'fish shoot' in Tinchuli of Kathmandu-6. When questioned about his citizenship, Sonam admitted, "I bought it for 400,000 rupees."

Sonam, who hails from Tibet Autonomous Region of China, registered his permanent address as Netrawati Dabjong rural municipality ward no. 1 in Dhading and listed his father as Harkaman Tamang. However, he told police that he does not recognize the father named on the citizenship. According to police investigations, the citizenship, issued on June 20, 2024, was obtained through four middlemen and a non gazetted first class officer from the District Administration Office.

SSP Sanuram Bhattarai of the Kathmandu Valley Crime Division confirmed the arrest of the four middlemen involved in assisting Sonam. "They have been arrested and sent to the District Police Office in Dhading for further investigation," he stated.

Among those arrested are Chhiring Dhundup from India, residing in Mahankal, Kathmandu; Chhiring Wangdi Sherpa from Helambu, Sindhupalchok; Rameshwar Rijal from Khaniyaabas, Dhading; and Madan Tamang from Manamaiju, who also has ties to Netrawati. The Dhading police have initiated a five-day investigation into the citizenship-related offenses involving these individuals. Sonam claimed he paid Chhiring Dundup a lump sum of 400,000 rupees for the citizenship.

Sonam's citizenship number is '26-01-81-03217'. Remarkably, he did not even visit the District Administration Office in Dhading to obtain it; the middleman collected his fingerprints at a coffee shop in Thamel. He informed the police that two months after handing over the cash, Chhiring Dundup's group provided him with the citizenship in Kathmandu.

Currently, Sonam is detained at the District Police Range in Kathmandu on charges related to gambling. The police recovered 1.2 million Nepalese rupees, 2,000 dollars, and 3,000 Chinese yuan from the gambling venue. SSP Bhattarai indicated that Sonam will be sent to Dhading for further investigation regarding his citizenship after resolving the gambling charges.