Nepal cricketer Sandeep Lamichhane sentenced to 8 years in prison by Kathmandu court in case of rape

Nepal cricketer Sandeep Lamichhane has been sentenced to eight years in prison after being found guilty of rape. Lamichhane was found guilty at the Kathmandu District Court on December 29. The sentencing was scheduled for a later date. On Wednesday, January 10, the court sentenced Lamichhane to eight years in prison and slapped a fine of NPR 3,00,000 (INR 1,87,148). 

3 things you need to know

• A police complaint was filed against Sandeep Lamichhane in September 2022
• He was arrested by the Kathmandu police in October after his return to Nepal
• Lamichhane was released on bail in January 2023 and was allowed to play

Also Read: Is BCCI looking for an Ishan Kishan substitute? Big update emerges on IND batter's availability

Sandeep Lamichhane sentenced to 8 years in prison

The verdict in the case was delivered by a single bench of Judge Shishir Raj Dhakal at the Kathmandu District Court on Wednesday. Additionally, Sandeep Lamichhane is required to pay NPR 200,000 (INR 1,24,765) to the victim's family, as confirmed by The Kathmandu Post.

The 23-year-old cricketer, who was arrested following an allegation of rape in a Kathmandu hotel room, had been released on bail in January 2023 by a Nepal court. However, Lamichhane was prohibited from leaving the country until the final verdict is reached in the case.

Notably, Sandeep Lamichhane made history as the first cricketer from Nepal to play in the Indian Premier League (IPL) when he debuted for the Delhi Capitals in 2018. He is also a regular feature across various T20 leagues in the world. The latest verdict has put Lamichhane's career in jeopardy.