Suspended national cricket captain Sandeep Lamichhane, who was arrested by the Nepal Police at the Tribhuvan International Airport on Thursday, will appear in the Kathmandu District Court on Sunday.
“Lamichhane will be produced before the Court by Gaushala Police Circle, seeking to remand him for further investigation,” said Nepal Police spokesperson Tek Prasad Rai. Lamichhane had arrived in Kathmandu via Doha on a Qatar Airways flight.
The District Court had issued an arrest warrant against the 22-year-old cricketer on September 7, acting on a case filed by Gaushala Police Circle, after a 17-year-old girl accused the leg-spinner of raping her on August 21.
The police must complete the investigation within 25 days from the day of his arrest before filing a criminal charge against him.
Following the arrest warrant, the Cricket Association of Nepal (CAN) had suspended the national cricket captain. Lamichhane was in Trinidad & Tobago to play Twenty20 Caribbean Premier League (CPL) franchise Jamaica Tallawahs when he was accused of rape. Following the suspension by cricket’s governing body, the CPL said on September 8 that Lamichhane would no longer be eligible to play the matches.
Lamichhane wrote on Facebook the same day claiming he was innocent and would return to Nepal to seek justice. However, after he mysteriously disappeared, the Nepal Police issued a widespread notice through the International Criminal Police Organization (Interpol).
On October 1, Lamichhane had announced that he would return to Nepal on October 6 to face legal charges. Shortly after he landed at the airport, he was apprehended by Immigration Department officials and plainclothes personnel.
He was sent to Gaushalle Police District.
