The Nepal Weekly 
February 28, 2023
The Supreme Court (SC) on Monday issuing an order allowed rape-accused cricketer Sandeep Lamichhane to travel to leave the country allowing him to take part in international cricket matches.
A joint bench of justices Sapana Pradhan Malla and Kumar Chudal overturned the earlier verdict of Patan High Court. The High Court had permitted the authority concerned to release Lamichhane against a bail amount of Rs 2 million, while barring the alleged cricketer from leaving the country.
Former captain of the national cricket team of Nepal, Lamichhane facing a rape charge had filed a petition against the High Court’s decision, demanding that the ban on him from going abroad be lifted and he be allowed to play cricket matches in the UAE. Nepal achieved a clean-sweep in the ICC World Cup League-2 triangular series recently held in the country’s home ground. Lamichhane played an important role in winning the four games. Lamichhane, who returned to the field after a long time, achieved 13 important wickets in four matches.
Following the notable victory, Nepali team is now in the UAE. Nepal is playing two matches each with Papua New Guinea and the UAE. The first match with Papua New Guinea is taking place on Monday, while Nepali team is left to play another three games.
On September 6, 2022, a 17-year-old girl registered a complaint in the police accusing Lamichhane of raping her in a hotel room. Lamichhane surrendered to the police on October 6. He has been denying the allegations labeled against him. On November 4, a single bench of Judge Madhav Prasad Ghimire at Kathmandu District Court had ordered Sandeep to be sent to prison for preliminary investigation. On January 12, the Patan High Court overturned the Kathmandu District Court’s decision to send him to prison. The High Court ordered Sandeep to be released on bail of Rs 2 million under various conditions. He was then released on bail from the Central Jail in Sundhara on January 13.
