INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
Kathmandu, October 23.
A rape and murder convict, who was arrested in America, was deported to Nepal by Interpol Washington, for
implementation of the Supreme Court verdict, according to Nepal Police.
Police took Lilaraj Gautam, 42, into custody upon his arrival at
Tribhuvan International Airport on a Turkish Airlines flight today
Gautam of Changragadi-3, Jhapa, was arrested by Interpol Washington on 3 February 2018 and was held in the custody of US police since then
A red corner notice was issued by the Interpol General Secretariat on 28 November 2017 for his arrest at the request of National Central
Bureau, Interpol office inNepal, after the Central Investigation Bureau found him hiding in America
Deputy Inspector General Bishwaraj Pokharel, Nepal Police spokesperson, said three persons, including Gautam, Manoj Khadka and Sitaram
Basnet, had gang raped 14-year-old Sandhya Gautam of Chandragadi, Jhapa, and strangulated the victim to death before hanging her from a tree
in a forest, near her house, on 15 October 2000.
After she was found hanging from a tree, Raj Kumar Rajbanshi, the victim father, filed
first information report against the trio at Jhapa District Police Office on 16 October 2000
Jhapa District Court acquitted Gautam, Khaka and Basent of the charges on 6 November 2001.
The Government of Nepal filed an appeal at Ilam
Appellate Court, which upheld the district court decision.
The government moved the SC seeking review on the appellate court decision to
uphold the verdict of the district court
Subsequently, the apex court slapped life imprisonment on Gautam and Khadka and Basnet, along with confiscation of their property on 14
September 2009.
Khadka and Basent were arrested and sent to jail
Nepal Police said Gautam would be required to serve a jail sentence of 19 years and two months after subtracting 10 months he spent in
judicial custody from 17 October 2000 to 16 August 2001
Gautam has been sent to Dillibazaar Prison for implementation of the SC verdict.
The post American Interpol deports rape, murder convict
Gautam to Nepal appeared first on The Himalayan Times.
