KATHMANDU: Four Chinese nationals have been arrested in Kathmandu on charges of illegally operating a marriage bureau and luring Nepali women into cross-border marriages under suspicious circumstances.
According to the Department of Immigration, a team deployed on the basis of a special tip-off detained the four, one woman and three men, from Sorhakhutte on Friday evening. The group had been living in Nepal on business visas.
Director General Ram Chandra Tiwari told Khabarhub that although the detainees were permitted to stay in Nepal for business purposes, they were instead found running an unauthorized marriage bureau. They have been kept in custody as investigations continue.
Luring girls from vulnerable communities
Initial inquiries suggest the group had been targeting girls from poor, marginalized, and remote-area families, arranging their marriage with Chinese nationals. Authorities are also probing information indicating that some women had already been sent to China under the pretext of marriage.
Officials said several Nepali girls were kept in rented rooms in the Mhaipi–Sorhakhutte area, popularly known as Chinese Housing, before being moved to various destinations.
Long-term stay under multiple visas
The Department has found that some of the arrested individuals had been frequently entering and leaving Nepal for years using different types of visas, including tourist, student, and business categories.
Despite holding business visas, the detainees were unable to present any valid explanation of their business activities. They also failed to produce their passports and visa documents during inspection and reportedly misbehaved with immigration and security personnel.
Investigation under immigration law
Tiwari stated that investigations are underway to determine the full extent of the group’s operations, including whether more Nepali women were trafficked under the guise of marriage.
Under Section 6 of the Immigration Act, 1992, immigration officials are authorized to inspect and seize documents related to the stay of foreign nationals at any time. The Immigration Regulations, 1994, prohibit foreigners from engaging in activities beyond the scope of their visa, while also empowering the Director General to impose fines of up to Rs 50,000 and deport individuals found violating immigration rules.
The four Chinese nationals remain in custody as the probe continues.
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