Return to Nepal after a mental-health absence proved catastrophic for the country’s first global cricketing star Sandeep Lamichhane, who was immediately taken into police custody in a case involving alleged rape allegations. The 22-year-old couldn’t move out freely from the Kathmandu airport, having to cooperate with the legal authorities of his nation.
While in custody, however, he was given a chance to issue a statement of his own via Facebook where he pleaded innocent once again and said he will be seeking legal help to brush aside “wrongful prosecution”. THe player once again denied the claims of coercion made over him by a minor girl.
Lamichhane said in his statement he would “fully cooperate in all stages of the investigation and will fight a legal battle to prove my innocence. I know I am facing a difficult time of conspiracy and wrongful allegation and the ramification of its effect is something unimaginable.”
The cricketer said he expects the law to prevail justice, hoping Nepal’s legal system will have a “mechanism of compensating to the accused” once he/she is proven not guilty by the court.
The arrest warrant on Lamichhane was issued by the Nepal police on September 8, when news emerged that a minor girl in the country has filed a case of alleged rape by the cricketer, triggering a huge controversy. The legspinner was in West Indies at the time, playing the Caribbean Premier League, before taking a leave of absence from the tournament and said he will comeback soon to bin the “baseless allegations” on his head.
Also read 👉 Cricket Nepal suspend Lamichhane after court issues arrest warrant, player withdraws from CPL
Back then also, Lamichhane pleaded innocence via a Facebook post, declaring that he has taken a break to look after his physical and mental health since the aftermath of the case has taken a psychological toll on the 21-year-old.
He promised he will return soon to Nepal to fight a legal battle against the allegations. But since he didn’t divulge his whereabouts, the Nepal police had to issue a “diffusion” notice against him and seek help from Interpol to relocate the escaped cricketer.
“We hope this will help the arrest of Lamichhane for the investigation of a rape complaint case against him,”
Tek Prasad, a Nepal Police spokesperson, had told AFP.
Interpol had issued directives to various countries at the time to give necessary details, if found any, about Lamichhane’s place of living after taking leave from his CPL duties with Jamaica Tallawahs.
It isn’t clear where exactly he was taking interim residence, but reports were that the player was hiding himself in one of the Caribbean Islands. Now upon his return, a long-drawn legal battle is about to kick off in the Nepal court, with the cricketer determined to prove innocence from claims of rape against him.
Lamichhane will not be allowed to play for Nepal during the course of the case proceedings in the court after being suspended as captain and player of the country by Cricket Nepal. The suspension came into effect the moment the filing of the case came to light. Prashant Vikram Malla, who is the board’s acting secretary, had said the player will not be playing for the country till the investigation is pending and the court order hasn’t come out.
