Sandeep Lamichhane’s final hearing scheduled for August 17

KATHMANDU, Aug 15: The hearing of the case of raping a minor in which cricketer Sandeep Lamichhane is the defendant, has been scheduled for Thursday, August 17. If there is no change in the final hearing, the case will be settled on the same day.

But before the final hearing from the Kathmandu District Court, the Cricket Association of Nepal has already included Sandeep's name in the 17-member team to play in the Asia Cup.

The case against Lamichhane which was registered in the Kathmandu District Court on the 31st of October 2022 has already been scheduled for hearing 24 times. Lamichhane was conditionally released by the Patan High Court after the Kathmandu District Court initially sent him to prison for pre-trial detention. But after he was banned from going abroad, Lamichhane filed a petition in the Supreme Court and asked for permission to go abroad.

On the petition, the Supreme Court gave permission for Lamichhane to go abroad to play the matches but ordered him to inform the court immediately after returning to Nepal. The government attorney, however, went to the Supreme Court with a petition to keep Sandeep imprisoned.

As the Supreme Court ordered that the case be heard quickly, the Kathmandu District Court has set the date of the final hearing on August 17. After the hearing, Sandeep, if acquitted, will be allowed to play in the Asia Cup, but if found guilty, will have to go to jail.