The Nepal court has sentenced cricketer Sandeep Lamichhane to eight years of imprisonment in a rape case.
A single-judge bench of Sishir Raj Dhakal also imposed a ₹3,00,000 fine on the cricketer, besides ordering him to pay a compensation of ₹2,00,000 to the victim.
Nepal’s cricketer Sandeep Lamichhane had previously been indicted in a rape case by the Kathmandu District Court. The verdict, issued in December last year by Shishir Dhakal’s bench, followed the concluding statements of both sides.
Despite the Apex Court’s order on February 23 of this year to expedite the case through a fast-track process, the hearing faced delays due to various circumstances. The court had repeatedly halted proceedings, notably when the accused, a former national team captain facing rape charges, traveled to Zimbabwe for World Cup qualifiers. Lamichhane, who spent several months in custody, was granted bail and later permitted to travel abroad.
On January 12, the Patan High Court overturned the Kathmandu District Court’s decision to place Lamichhane in judicial custody for the alleged rape of a minor, citing insufficient grounds for detention. Lamichhane secured his release on a bail amount of Rs 2 million the following day.
Having sought permission from the Supreme Court to join the national team traveling to the UAE for ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup League 2 matches against the UAE and Papua New Guinea in late February, Lamichhane’s plea was granted by a joint bench of Justices Sapana Pradhan Malla and Kumar Chudal on February 27.
The District Government Attorney’s Office (DGAO), Kathmandu, had filed a case against Lamichhane under Section 219 of the National Penal Code Act, 2017, following a rape complaint by a 17-year-old girl. The DGAO has sought a prison sentence of up to 12 years, as stipulated by sub-section 3 (d) of Section 219, along with compensation for the victim.
Despite Lamichhane’s denial of the rape allegation in statements to the DGAO and the police, an arrest warrant was issued on September 8. On the same day, the Cricket Association of Nepal (CAN) suspended him from the national team following the issuance of the arrest warrant.
