Cricketer Lamichhane acquitted of rape charges

Cricketer Sandeep Lamichhane has been acquitted of the rape charges. A joint bench of judges Sudarshan Dev Bhatt and Anju Upreti Dhakal of the Patan High Court overturned the decision of the District Court, Kathmandu, and acquitted Lamichhane,  Bimal Parajuli, the court’s spokesperson, said on Wednesday. 

Talking to the media, Lamichhane reiterated his innocence and thanked the High Court for its verdict. 

“I was framed for a crime I did not commit. I am grateful to everyone who stood beside me and supported me all this time,” he said. 

On 29 December 2023, the Kathmandu District Court had found Lamichhane guilty of rape and sentenced him to eight years in prison.

On 6 September 2022, the victim (Gausala 26) filed a complaint, alleging that Lamichhane raped her at a hotel in Sinamangal on August 21 of that same year. Lamichhane, who was in a closed training session at the time, had allegedly taken Gaushala 26 from the Hyatt Place Kathmandu, a hotel in Tahachal, Kathmandu, to Nagarkot. They returned and stayed at a hotel in Sinamangal, where the victim claimed the rape occurred.

When the complaint was filed, Lamichhane was abroad for a cricket match and did not return to Nepal, prompting the police to issue a diffusion notice through Interpol. He was arrested at the Tribhuvan International Airport in Kathmandu upon his return on 6 October 2022 and was sent to judicial custody by the district court. But the Patan High Court released him on bail of Rs 2m on 13 January 2023.

At that time, the High Court had prohibited him from traveling abroad, but after the Supreme Court lifted that restriction, he left Nepal and played international cricket.

Following a long hearing process, the District Court convicted Lamichhane on 29 December 2023. Judge Shishir Raj Dhakal concluded that Lamichhane was guilty based on the victim's brother's complaint, Lamichhane's statement, various witness testimonies, and CCTV footage.

While Lamichhane had admitted to staying in the same hotel room with Gaushala 26, he denied the rape allegations. But the District Court concluded that considering the victim's statement and Lamichhane's activities on the day of the incident, it was clear that he had raped the victim.

The indictment claimed that the victim, being above 16 but below 18 years of age (a minor according to the law), warranted a sentence of 10 to 12 years. But Judge Dhakal sentenced Lamichhane to eight years in prison, ruling that the victim was 18 years old on the day of the incident. The court also ordered Sandeep to pay the victim a compensation of Rs 500,000.

After the court pronounced him guilty and sentenced him to prison, the Cricket Association of Nepal (CAN) suspended Lamichhane from participating in any domestic or international competition.

Following Lamichhane’s acquittal, CAN has decided to lift his suspension and reinstate him in the national team, said Padam Khadka, treasurer of CAN. 

Nepal is set to compete in the 9th edition of the ICC T20 World Cup Cricket, which will be jointly held in the US and the West Indies from June 1 to 29.

“CAN will decide by tomorrow. Our effort will be to send him to compete in the World Cup at any cost,” said Khadka.