Cricketer Lamichhane released on bail

National cricketer Sandeep Lamichhane, who has been accused of raping a minor, was released on Friday after posting a bail of Rs2 million set by the High Appellate Court.

A joint bench of judges Dhruva Raj Nanda and Ramesh Dahalreviewed petition filed by Lamichhane, on Thursday and issued order to release of the suspended cricketer on a bail with conditions.

The Kathmandu District Court on November 4 had passed the order to send Lamichhane to the Sundhara-based central jail after a detention hearing. Lamichhane denying all accusation had moved the high court challenging the order.

He has been accused of raping a 17-year-old minor on August 21. An investigation has been conducting against him under Section 219 of the Criminal Code 2074. He will be imprisoned for 10 to 12 years as per the existing legal provisions if the crime against him is proven.

The minor had filed a case against the cricketer on September 6 at the Metropolitan Police Circle, Gaushalaof Kathmandu.

The District Court had issued an arrest warrant against the cricketer on September 7 acting on the case filed by Gaushala Police Circle after the girl accused him of rape.

Following the arrest warrant, the Cricket Association of Nepal (CAN) suspended the globe-trotting leg spinner. When he was accused of rape, Lamichhane was in Trinidad & Tobago to play the Twenty20 franchise Caribbean Premier League (CPL) from Jamaica Tallawahs.

On October 1, Lamichhane announced that he would return to Nepal on October 6 to face legal charges. Soon after he landed at the airport, he was arrested by the Department of Immigration.

On release on bail, Lamichhane was talking to media persons outside the central jail, he said that he would make a comeback to the sport soon.

However, the high court has restricted Lamichhane from travelling abroad, any attempt to contact the accused or her family, or posting anything related to the case on social media or public platforms.

Lamichhane rose to stardom after he was picked to play in the Indian Premier League by Delhi Daredevils in 2018. As the first Nepali cricketer to play in the IPL, he never looked back and made a tour across the globe, as he was snapped up by Australia’s Big Bash, Sri Lanka Premier League, CPL, Pakistan Premier League, T10 League in the United Arab Emirates, and England’s The Hundred.