Kathmandu, May 15: Cricketer Sandeep Lamichhane on Wednesday had a sigh of relief after being proven innocent in an ongoing rape case. The Patan High Court has acquitted Lamichhane, overturning the previous verdict of the Kathmandu District Court.

The bench of Judges Sudarshan Dev Bhatta and Anju Upreti Dhakal overturned the district court’s verdict, freeing the leg-spinner of all charges.

“The district court’s verdict has been overturned, Sandeep Lamichhane has been acquitted,” the website quoted the High Court’s deputy registrar and spokesperson, Bimal Parajuli, as saying.

Last year in December, a bench of Kathmandu District Court found Lamichhane guilty of raping an 18-year-old woman. Later in January 2024, he was sentenced to an eight-year jail term for the same. The 23-year-old cricketer was fined Rs 3 lakh and was also ordered by the court to pay compensation of Rs 2 lakh to the victim.

Lamichhane was playing in the Caribbean Premier League (CPL) for Jamaica Tallawahs when the court sentenced him to a jail term. The franchise released him with immediate effect as he returned to Kathmandu where he was arrested.

The High Court Government Attorney Office appealed the verdict at the Patan High Court on March 12, seeking maximum punishment against Lamichhane. On the other hand, the cricketer had appealed against the district court’s verdict at the Patan High Court.