Nepal cricketer Sandeep Lamichhane found guilty of rape

Sandeep Lamichhane, the former captain of Nepal’s national cricket team, has been convicted of raping a minor, as ruled by the Kathmandu District Court’s single bench led by Judge Shishir Raj Dhakal. 

The verdict comes after the conclusion of final hearings that began last week, and the subsequent hearing will determine the cricketer's jail term, according to the Kathmandu Post.

The conviction stems from an allegation by a 17-year-old girl, who claimed that Lamichhane raped her in a hotel room in Kathmandu in August. The cricketer had previously been granted bail by a Nepal court in January, and the next legal proceeding will determine the severity of his sentence.

Earlier, a joint panel of judges from the Patan High Court, Dhruvaraj Nanda, and Ramesh Dhakal, had granted Lamichhane bail of Rs2 million, overturning the initial decision of the Kathmandu district court. As a condition of his bail, Lamichhane was prohibited from leaving the country until the court reached a final verdict on the case.

The controversy surrounding Lamichhane was underscored in February when, during a cricket match against Nepal, players from Scotland chose not to shake hands with him as a silent protest against his continued participation in the ICC’s Cricket World Cup League 2 series.

Sandeep Lamichhane, at 23, made history as Nepal's first cricketer to compete in the Indian Premier League (IPL) with the Delhi Capitals in 2018. Known for his impressive performances, he has been sought after in major T20 leagues globally, including Australia’s Big Bash League (BBL), the Pakistan Super League (PSL), and the CPL. Lamichhane holds records as the world’s second-fastest bowler to claim 50 ODI wickets and the third-fastest to achieve 50 T20I wickets. His last appearance in international cricket was in August during a T20I match against Kenya.

Sandeep Lamichhane, the former captain of Nepal’s national cricket team, has been convicted of raping a minor, as ruled by the Kathmandu District Court’s single bench led by Judge Shishir Raj Dhakal. The verdict comes after the conclusion of final hearings that began last week, and the subsequent hearing will determine the cricketer's jail term, according to the Kathmandu Post.

The conviction stems from an allegation by a 17-year-old girl, who claimed that Lamichhane raped her in a hotel room in Kathmandu in August. The cricketer had previously been granted bail by a Nepal court in January, and the next legal proceeding will determine the severity of his sentence.

Earlier, a joint panel of judges from the Patan High Court, Dhruvaraj Nanda, and Ramesh Dhakal, had granted Lamichhane bail of Rs 2 million, overturning the initial decision of the Kathmandu district court. As a condition of his bail, Lamichhane was prohibited from leaving the country until the court reached a final verdict on the case.

The controversy surrounding Lamichhane was underscored in February when, during a cricket match against Nepal, players from Scotland chose not to shake hands with him as a silent protest against his continued participation in the ICC’s Cricket World Cup League 2 series.

Sandeep Lamichhane, at 23, made history as Nepal's first cricketer to compete in the Indian Premier League (IPL) with the Delhi Capitals in 2018. Known for his impressive performances, he has been sought after in major T20 leagues globally, including Australia’s Big Bash League (BBL), the Pakistan Super League (PSL), and the CPL. Lamichhane holds records as the world’s second-fastest bowler to claim 50 ODI wickets and the third-fastest to achieve 50 T20I wickets. His last appearance in international cricket was in August during a T20I match against Kenya.