Ex-Nepal cricket captain Sandeep Lamichhane sentenced to eight years for rape

Sandeep Lamichhane rape case The Nepal court on Wednesday sentenced star cricketer Sandeep Lamichhane to eight years imprisonment in a rape caseThe bench of Shishir Raj Dhakal handed over the verdict of 8 years imprisonment along with compensation and penalties after a hearing on Wednesday confirmed court official Ramu SharmaSandeep Lamichhane rape case Kathamandu District Court had previously indicted LamichhaneThe Kathmandu District Court court had previously indicted Nepals cricketer Sandeep Lamichhane in a rape caseA bench of Shishir Dhakal in December last year delivered the verdict after listening to the concluding statement of both sidesThe Apex Court earlier on February 23 last year had ordered to conclude the case through fast fasttrack process but the hearing has been on hold as it has continued to differ providing different occasionsAlso Read Nepal cricketer Sandeep Lamichhane lands in Kathmandu to face rape charges detainedThe court time and again had paused the hearing after rape accused former national team captain travelled to Zimbabwe to participate in the World Cup qualifiers Lamichhane who stayed behind bars for a few months was released on bail and later allowed to travel abroadThe Patan High Court on January 12 had repelled the order of Kathmandu District Court to send Lamichhane to judicial custody in the case of raping a minor citing lack of grounds to keep him in custody He was released on a bail of Rs 2 million the next dayLamichhane had also moved the SC demanding he be allowed to travel with the national team going to the UAE to play ICC Mens Cricket World Cup League 2 matches against the UAE and Papua New Guinea at the end of FebruaryAlso ReadCape Townrsquos lsquopitch perilrsquoThe joint bench of Justices Sapana Pradhan Malla and Kumar Chudal after conducting a joint hearing of the petition by Lamichhane and the OAGs appeal had ordered on February 27 to allow Lamichhane to go to the UAEThe District Government Attorneys Office DGAO Kathmandu had registered a case against Lamichhane charging him with raping a minorPolice had investigated Lamichhane under Section 219 of the National Penal Code Act 2017 after a 17yearold girl filed a rape complaint against himThe Kathmandu DGAO has demanded a prison sentence of up to 12 years against Lamichhane as per subsection 3 d of Section 219 which states that a person who commits rape shall be liable to imprisonment for a term of 10 to 12 years if the woman is 16 or above 16 years of age but below 18 years of age It has also sought compensation for the victimLamichhane has denied the rape allegation in his statements to the DGAO and police An arrest warrant was issued against Lamichhane on September 8 and the Cricket Association of Nepal CAN suspended him from the national team the same day after issuance of the arrest warrantWith agency inputs