The case of making passport at an early age, with fake details and then issuing passports is common in Sindhupalchowk district. Of late, it has drawn concern of all stakeholders, and especially in the initiation of CTIP partners like Pourakhi, CeLRRd and others, such cases are being traced. They have put the counseling desk run by shakti Samuha in DAO Sindhupalchowk in high alert. On December 24, 2013, a case of suspected minor from Tamang ethnicity came with a citizenship and reference of DAO to Foreign Affairs Ministry for urgent passport. Two persons had accompanied her. When the team of district child rights officer, and CTIP partners including Bhesram Dhakal, VLA lawyer came to investigate the case, the two persons ran away, and the girl’s real age was found to be 15. She was from Manakaal VDC-4, and had primary education. Her father was died in an accident while on foreign employment in Saudi Arabia, and subsequently mother also left her in the care of elder brother-in-law for foreign employment in Kuwait. She was eldest and had two sisters aged 9 and 7. Taking benefit of their vulnerable situation, a broker Ruk Bahadur Tamang made a plan to send the eldest girl to Baharain. As they had no parents, their elder father made her citizenship disguising himself as his father and other fake information. Then, the whole incident was reported to CDO Dilliram Pokhrel, and FIR lodged against Rukbahadur with the charge of human transportation under TIP Act, and DAO charged the elder father for gaining citizenship with fake information. In the bailment hearing, the court ordered the elder father to deposit bail amount 15,000 and sent Rukbahadur to jail for the trial of the case. The case, by the end of this reporting period, was being prosecuted in Sindhupalchowk DC. This case might be just tip of the iceberg, however, with further sensitization and effective coordination amongst the stakeholders in the district, this crime can be checked.
