The Cricket Association of Nepal (CAN) has lifted the suspension of rape-accused cricketer Sandeep Lamichhane. CAN board member Birendra Bahadur Chand informed that an executive committee meeting of the cricket governing body held in Pokhara on Tuesday decided to lift the ban on Lamichhane. Lamichhane has been accused of raping a 17-year-old girl on August 21. He has been charged under Section 219 of the Criminal Code 2074. If the charge against him is proven, he will be imprisoned for 10 to 12 years as per the existing legal provisions.The minor had filed a case against the cricketer on September 6 at the Metropolitan Police Circle, Gaushala.
Lamichhane was arrested immediately upon his arrival in the country capital on 6th October at the Tribhuvan International Airport almost a month after a court issued a warrant over the alleged rape of a 17-year-old girl. Lamichhane was seen being escorted in police custody after he arrived in the country in October 2022.Before being arrested, the Nepal international in a Facebook post on Wednesday said that he was returning to the country and 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. I am sure there must be some mechanism of compensating to the accused who proven to be innocent in our legal system," Lamichhane wrote."I will soon seek legal support against wrongful prosecution and allegation made against me and I am sure I will get the justice and will return to the cricket ground soon to make the name and fame of my beloved country and I pray for speedy trial. I will fully cooperate in all stages of investigation and will fight legal battle to prove my innocence. Let the justice prevail," he added. The warrant was issued by a Nepalese court on September 8 when Lamichhane was in the West Indies, taking part in the Caribbean Premier League. Back then, he had said he would leave the CPL and return to home to face the "baseless allegations".
