Owner of Nepal’s largest media organization arrested for issuing citizenship card

KATHMANDU, Nepal – The owner of Nepal’s largest news organization has been arrested for allegedly violating the country’s citizenship laws in connection with his citizenship card.

Kailash Sirohiya will appear before a judge in a district court in southern Nepal on Wednesday where charges have been filed against him.

He was arrested on Tuesday at the Kathmandu office of Kantipur Publications, which operates newspapers, television and radio stations, magazines and online news sites.

Sirohiya denied any wrongdoing and accused Home Minister Rabi Lamichhane of seeking revenge for publishing news of alleged financial irregularities involving the minister.

Opposition parties have protested against Lamichhane and called for his resignation over alleged irregularities.

Police say Sirohiya’s citizenship card has the same number as another person’s, which would violate the country’s citizenship laws.

National citizenship cards are issued to all Nepalese adults and are the most important document for identification, including in transactions.

In the past, it has been known that several people have produced fake citizenship certificates, especially in southern Nepal on the border with India.