Former Nepal captain Sandeep Lamichhane has been proven innocent in an ongoing rape case filed against him in 2022. A police complaint was filed by a 17-year-old girl, on 6 September 2022, accusing Lamichhane of raping her on the night of 21 August in a hotel room in Kathmandu.
The Patan High Court has acquitted Sandeep Lamichhane of rape overturning the Kathmandu District Court’s verdict.
As reported by setopati.com, the bench of Judges Sudarshan Dev Bhatta and Anju Upreti Dhakal overturned the district court’s verdict, freeing the leg-spinner of all charges.
“The district court’s verdict has been overturned, Sandeep Lamichhane has been acquitted,” the website quoted the High Court’s deputy registrar and spokesperson, Bimal Parajuli, as saying.
Breaking: Sandeep Lamichhane is proven innocent by High Court Patan. pic.twitter.com/IOBf7L0DlL
— Sagar !! (@bandagopikauli) May 15, 2024
Sandeep Lamichhane Rape Case Timeline
- On 6 September 2022 – A police complaint was filed by an alleged minor accusing Lamichhane of raping her on the night of 21 August in a hotel room in Kathmandu.
- On 8 September 2022 – Kathmandu District Court authorised the arrest of Lamichhane for further investigation.
- On 6 October 2022 – Lamichhane turned himself into the Nepal Police and was taken into custody.
- On 2 January 2023 – Responding to a review petition filed by Lamichhane, a joint bench of judges Dhruva Raj Nanda and Ramesh Dahal from the Patan High Court ordered his release on bail of Rs. 2 million
- On 29 December 2023 – The Kathmandu District Court, presided over by Judge Shishir Raj Dhakal, convicted Lamichhane of raping the girl, referred to as ‘Gaushala 26’, by taking advantage of her financial condition.
- On January 10 2024 – The bench sentenced Lamichhane to eight years in prison and fined him Rs 300,000. It also ordered him to pay a compensation of Rs 200,000 to the victim.
- On February 22 2024 – The high court allowed him to appeal against the district court’s verdict staying out of jail.
- On March 12 2024 – The High Court Government Attorney Office appealed the verdict at the Patan High Court, seeking maximum punishment against Lamichhane. The appeal was registered a day later.
- On May 15 2024 – Sandeep Lamichhane was found not guilty and was released by the Patan High Court.
