Kathmandu, Nepal, February 17, 2020: Former speaker Krishna Bahadur Mahara has been acquitted on the rape attempt charge on Monday.
Single bench of judge Ambar Raj Poudel gave clean chit to former Speaker Mahara. Mahara was accused of raping a female staffer of the Parliament Secretariat, Roshani Shahi. With the verdict, Mahara has been released from Dillbazar jail.
The bench was scheduled to issue the judgment on the case on Sunday but failed to do so owing to lack of time.
Earlier, the Patan High Court (PHC) had directed the lower court to conclude the case within a month upholding his detention.
Kathmandu District Attorney’s Office had filed the case of attempted rape against Mahara, demanding seven-and-a-half years in jail including five years for rape attempt and two-and-a-half years for misusing his office. Mahara was arrested on October 6 in response to a complaint filed by Shahi.
