Charge-sheet filed against Lamichhane, two others

Chitwan, August 25

District Attorney’s Office, Chitwan, today filed a charge-sheet against television host Rabi Lamichhane and two others at the District Court in connection with the suicide of journalist Shalikram Pudasaini.

The office of the attorney registered the case against Lamichhane, Yubaraj Kandel and nurse Ashmita Karki for abetting Pudasaini’s suicide.

Court staffer Rudramani Giri said the court had started recording statements of defendants from today. “The court completed recording Karki’s statements today, while Lamichhane and Kandel’s statements could not be recorded due to lack of time,” said Giri, adding, “Their statements will be recorded from 10:00am tomorrow”.

After the statements are recorded, the court will decide whether to release them on general date, grant bail or remand them to custody until the verdict is passed. District judge Hemant Rawal will look into the case.

District Attorney Office has sought a fine of Rs 50,000 and five years’ sentence or both for each of the three in line with Criminal Code Act, 2017.

Earlier, Chitwan police had presented all three persons along with evidences to the District Attorney’s Office today. After that, police had organised press meet to inform about the investigation.

At the press meet, Central Investigation Bureau’s SP Dipak Regmi said they had collected evidences and submitted the report to the attorney’s office. “We have found evidences of abetting Pudasaini to kill himself and submitted them to the attorney’s office,” said the SP. He clarified they had collected evidences other than the video, but they could not be made public. He stressed the need to seek justice from the judiciary not from the mob.

Journalist Shalikram Pudasaini, was found hanging in a local hotel in Chitwan on August 6. After video footage recorded by Pudasaini on his mobile phone accusing Lamichhane, Kandel and Karki for abetting him to commit suicide came out, police had held the three on August 15 from Kathmandu and brought them to Chitwan for investigation.

Lamichhane’s supporters have been staging demonstration demanding his release every day in Bharatpur. They continued demonstration at Chaubishkothi, Bharatpur, outside District Police Office, and Bypass road today as well. They were disappointed as Rabi was not released today.

Police had fired over two dozen tear gas shells to disperse the mob after the demonstration took an ugly turn. Protesters had thrown stone at the police. Four police personnel were injured in the incident.

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