The case against Nepalese cricketer Sandeep Lamichhane, who is accused of raping a minor, took another turn as the Kathmandu District Court ordered the examination of two government witnesses on Sunday. The order was made after the plaintiff filed a petition requesting the witnesses to be understood as they did not have affidavits.
Lamichhane’s lawyer, Murari Sapkota, revealed that the final hearing in his client’s case is about to take place, following the Supreme Court’s decision to drop the case from the fast track on February 15th.
The former captain of the national cricket team was suspended by Nepal Cricket Association (CAN) after a teenage girl filed a complaint against him on August 21. At the time, Sandeep was in the West Indies to play in the Caribbean Premier League. Interpol issued a diffusion notice on October 10 at the request of the Nepal Police after Sandeep did not return to Nepal.
Sandeep returned to Nepal on October 20 after the notice was issued by Interpol and was arrested from the airport. The Kathmandu District Court ordered that Sandeep be sent to prison for preliminary investigation on 18th October, but he appealed to the higher court against the order.
On January 18th, the Patan High Court released Sandeep conditionally on a bond of 2 million. The cricketer was ordered to be released on bail with several conditions, including not being able to go abroad, reporting to the police even if he has to leave Kathmandu Valley, and not having direct or indirect contact with the victim girl.
The Attorney General’s office and Sandeep Lamichhane approached the Supreme Court against the order of the High Court. Sandeep filed a writ petition in the Supreme Court on Friday, February 12, with the demand to be allowed to go abroad to play cricket. The attorney general’s office had demanded that Sandeep be kept in custody and the case should be tried.
On February 15, the Supreme Court upheld the Patan High Court order and allowed Sandeep to go abroad to play cricket while simultaneously hearing the petition filed by Sandeep and the Attorney General’s office. The Supreme Court had also asked to dispose of the case as soon as possible.
The case against Sandeep Lamichhane has been closely followed by the Nepalese public, and this recent development has only added to the intrigue. The examination of the two government witnesses will undoubtedly shed further light on the accusations against the cricketer.
