Sandeep Lamichhane gets clean chit in rape case
Nepali cricketer Sandeep Lamichhane has got a clean chit in a rape case, making him available to play for his country in the T20 World Cup 2024.
In September 2023, the Nepal Cricket Association suspended Lamichhane from the team after he was accused of raping an 18-year-old girl.
On January 2024, Sandeep was sentenced to eight years in prison, while a fine of Rs300,000 (three lacs) was also imposed on him. Subsequently, he challenged the court’s decision in the High Court, stressing that he was innocent.
Now a two-judge bench has overturned the Kathmandu District Court’s verdict that had sentenced the 23-year-old to eight years in prison, citing lack of evidence in the case. As he has now been declared innocent, he will be available for selection in Nepal’s squad for the T20 World Cup 2024 in the USA starting from June 1.