Cricketer Sandeep Lamichhane, who had been convicted of rape by the Kathmandu District Court, has got a clean chit from the High Court Patan.
A bench of Judges Sudarshan Dev Bhatta and Anju Upreti Dhakal of High Court Patan on Wednesday issued the verdict acquitting Lamichhane of the rape charge.
The case was heard for two days -- Tuesday and Wednesday.
Lamichhane on February 22 had moved High Court Patan against the decision of District Court Kathmandu.
A single bench of Judge Shishir Raj Dhakal of Kathmandu District Court had convicted Sandeep of rape, slapping him with an eight-year jail term along with a fine of Rs 300,000.
The major debate in the petition was whether the physical relationship between Sandeep and Gaushala 26 (symbolic name) was consensual and the victim was 18 years old or not at the time when the alleged rape took place.
Kathmandu District Court had approved the victim’s birth registration certificate that she was 18 years of age when the alleged rape occurred. However, it also determined that Lamichhane raped Gaushala 26 taking advantage of her poverty.
