Two Indian mountaineers Narender Singh Yadav and Seema Rani claimed that they had reached the top of Mount Everest four years back during a summit climb. However, in recent information, Nepal’s Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation (MoCTCA) has cancelled the summit certificate that was issued to the two. Following an investigation, it was found that the two Indian mountaineers had lied as the evidence of climbing the highest peak in the world, including photographs did not add up. It is to be noted that Yadav was recommended for the Tenzing Norgay award last year and this award is the highest adventure sports honour in India. But his name was withheld by the sports ministry post some media reports surfaced that indicated the possibility of the fake climbing.
An order issued by the ministry in Nepal, both Yadav and Rani have to follow a six-year retrospective ban, starting 2016. A report by The IE citing the ministry said that the Nepal officials found the documents submitted inclusive of photographs to be fake and as per the conversation with the officials concerned, including sherpas, the officials came to know the truth about climbing the mountain. Therefore, imposition of ban was decided, said Pradip Kumar Koirala, a joint secretary in the MoCTCA and the chairman of the investigating committee, according to the report. t is to note that a fine of 10,000 Nepalese rupees on Dawa Sherpa has been imposed along with 50,000 rupees fine on Seven Summit Peaks, who organised the expedition. This was due to violation of regulations under the Nepal Tourism Act, 1978. To be sure, the 14-member expedition led by Naba Phukon and Yadav and Rani were both part of it. The team leader has also been banned for six years. Meanwhile, Phukon said that when he was returning after scaling the peak, he saw Yadav and Rani at South Col (a ridge) and since their oxygen cylinders were not working and Dawa Sherpa was not there as well, he asked them to return to their base camp. Phukon said he had later raised the issue when he got to know about both Yadav and Rani getting certificates. Seven Summit Treks too claimed that they played no role in the fake climb.