KATHMANDU, SEPTEMBER 26

The International Criminal Police Organisation (Interpol) has issued a diffusion notice against suspended Nepali cricket team captain Sandeep Lamichhane, who has been at large since a rape case was filed against him by a minor girl on September 6.

National Central Bureau of Nepal Police had requested Interpol to issue the notice on September 24. With this, police of 194 member countries of Interpol can now arrest and deport Lamichhane to Nepal for investigation into the rape allegation.

Interpol can also issue red notice against Lamichhane if it wishes to do so after conducting its own investigation.

NCB has listed a few countries, such as Kenya, Singapore, and the USA in the notice as possible hideouts of Lamichhane.

Lamichhane's passport allows him to travel to almost all countries in the world without prior visa.

'We have issued a diffusion notice asking Interpol to locate, arrest, and return the accused after he is neither in contact with us nor are his whereabouts known to us,' said Deputy Inspector General Tek Prasad Rai, spokesperson for Nepal Police.

It has been 19 days since an arrest warrant was issued against Lamichhane by Kathmandu District Court.

On September 6, a 17-year-old girl, along with her elder brother, filed a complaint against Lamichhane at Gaushala Police Circle.

The girl accused him of raping her at a hotel room in Sinamangal on the night of August 21. Lamichhane left the hotel early next morning for Kenya to participate in the Cricket T-20 series in Nairobi. Later, he went to West Indies to participate in the Caribbean Premier League.

When the FIR was filed against him, Lamichhane was in the West Indies. He contacted the Cricket Association Nepal to plead innocence and seek its support. He had promised to soon return to Nepal and take legal recourse to clear his name.

A day after the FIR was filed, an arrest warrant was issued against him. Lamichhane then wrote a Facebook post pleading innocence and has been out of contact since then. This forced police to place his name in the wanted list.

Yesterday, Lamichhane wrote a longer Facebook post, alleging that he had become a victim of conspiracy.

He said he had suffered mental agony after baseless accusation was circulated in media without any proof.

A version of this article appears in the print on September 27, 2022 of The Himalayan Times.