Kathmandu Court extends Sandeep Lamichhane's remand by seven days

Nepal's most celebrated cricketer- Sandeep Lamichhane's problems have not ended as a Kathmandu court on Monday had his remand extended by seven days. During this period, he will be in police custody and will be questioned regarding rape allegations. Lamichhane, who had been MIA for a long time since the allegations, returned to his nation to face the charges levied against him.

A 17-year-old girl's accusations led to the Kathmandu District court issuing an arrest order for the cricketer. Upon his arrival, Lamichhane was detained by the Immigration Department, that had blacklisted him. In a Facebook post announcing his arrival, the Nepalese cricket player insisted that he was innocent in the matter and was ready to face the matter.

“There is a prima facie case against Sandeep,” a spokesman for the Kathmandu Police told Cricbuzz on Monday. The 23-year-old Lamichhane, who is accused of raping a minor, has been prohibited by the Cricket Association of Nepal (CAN), the nation's official cricket governing organization.

In accordance with national laws, the authorities have 25 days to press charges. If found guilty, he may spend up to 12 years in jail. When the young girl filed the lawsuit against Lamichhane last month, the skilled spinner was competing in the Caribbean Premier League (CPL).

Important leads collected to press charges on the cricketer

“The police have arrested him and today (October 10), he was produced before the Kathmandu district court. The court has granted judicial custody for seven days. We are investigating. We have collected some important leads to press the charges,” the spokesperson further said.

He returned to the nation when the Nepali government applied pressure by seeking Interpol's help, and on October 6 he was apprehended upon arrival at the Tribhuvan International Airport. His seven-day custody period officially began on that day. He hasn't yet been taken to jail, according to the police.

Lamichhane has participated in T20 franchise tournaments all around the world, notably the Indian Premier League, where he played for the Delhi Capitals. He participated in nine IPL matches. Additionally, since beginning his career in 2018, he has participated in 44 T20Is and 30 ODIs.