{"id":28144,"date":"2026-10-29T08:17:16","date_gmt":"2026-10-29T02:32:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/eng.dragonmedia.com.np\/?p=28144"},"modified":"2026-10-29T08:17:16","modified_gmt":"2026-10-29T02:32:16","slug":"questions-over-ani-choyings-citizenship-and-financial-investigation-resurface-after-appointment","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/eng.dragonmedia.com.np\/?p=28144","title":{"rendered":"Questions Over Ani Choying\u2019s Citizenship and Financial Investigation Resurface After Appointment<\/strong>"},"content":{"rendered":"

Dragon Media Correspondent<\/strong><\/p>\n

Questions about the citizenship and overseas funds of Buddhist nun and singer Ani Choying Dolma have resurfaced following her appointment as vice-chair of the Lumbini Development Trust. Investigations into her citizenship and a possible money-laundering case were initiated in the past, but their conclusions have not been made public, according to a report by Kantipur.<\/p>\n

The Cabinet appointed Dolma to the post on October 16. The report says she obtained citizenship by descent on June 1, 1989, under the name Choing Dolma Muktan Lama, identifying Kanchha Bahadur Lama as her father. She obtained a duplicate citizenship certificate on November 10, 2009.<\/p>\n

In December 2019, Pramansingh Lama, identified in the report as Kanchha Bahadur Lama\u2019s son, filed a complaint with Kathmandu police seeking an investigation into Dolma\u2019s citizenship. Police then asked the District Administration Office for the records relating to its issuance, and the office sent a copy of the relevant register. A former police officer said the investigation did not proceed further. The chief of the Kathmandu District Police Range said no formal complaint had been found, while the chief district officer said an investigation would not be opened solely on the basis of media reports.<\/p>\n

Dolma\u2019s autobiography, published in 2011, says her parents came from Tibet in the mid-1950s. That account has prompted questions about the basis on which she received citizenship by descent. Senior advocate Dinesh Tripathi said such questions should be resolved before a person is appointed to public office. The information in an autobiography alone, however, does not establish that citizenship was issued unlawfully; that would require examination of the records and a determination through the relevant legal process.<\/p>\n

Questions about funds received from abroad also date back to 2018. According to the report, a Hong Kong citizen deposited $579,980, $539,980 and $529,980 into Dolma\u2019s bank account over three consecutive days, bringing the total to $1,649,940. The Nepal Rastra Bank\u2019s Financial Information Unit referred the transactions to the Department of Money Laundering Investigation after the source of the funds was not established. The department then froze the account and began an investigation.<\/p>\n

A senior department official told Kantipur that the investigation has neither been concluded nor formally shelved. The report says that after the central bank asked about its progress in January 2020, the department replied that it would provide a conclusion once the investigation was complete. The account was later unfrozen, but no final decision on the investigation has been made public. A former official involved in the inquiry alleged that the department\u2019s director general had faced pressure to halt the investigation and release the funds. The report did not provide independent verification of that allegation.<\/p>\n

In a video statement, Dolma said she was being targeted with unnecessary accusations to portray her as a criminal. She asserted that she had been honest towards the country and invited people seeking information about the citizenship and financial matters to approach the relevant authorities. The report said she did not directly explain the basis on which her citizenship had been issued.<\/p>\n

The Lumbini Protection Campaign has been protesting and calling for a transparent appointment process and an impartial investigation into the questions raised. It has also demanded that Dolma\u2019s appointment be revoked. Concerns about the appointment process and questions about her citizenship and overseas funds are separate matters; each requires resolution based on evidence and due process.<\/p>\n

Allegations and questions about citizenship or financial transactions should not be treated as proven facts. But leaving investigations unresolved for years raises a broader issue of public accountability. The relevant authorities should review the available records and clearly state the status and outcome of their inquiries. That would help ensure a fair determination of the allegations and address concerns about confidence in appointments to public office.<\/p>\n

\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t <\/div><\/div>\n\t\t