The Kathmandu District Court, on Friday (December 29), declared Sandeep Lamichhane, the former captain of the Nepal cricket team and renowned leg-spinner, guilty of rape.
In a single-judge bench hearing, Judge Shishir Raj Dhakal delivered the verdict after a thorough examination of the case, confirming the charges against the former Indian Premier League (IPL) star. Notably, the court acknowledged that the victim was not a minor at the time of the incident.
It’s essential to highlight that the accusations were initially leveled against Lamichhane in September 2022. Despite the charges, the leg-spinner continued to represent Nepal in international cricket while on bail, awaiting trial. This followed a lower court order that mandated his detention, which was subsequently overturned by the country’s Supreme Court in January 2023.