KATHMANDU, APRIL 7

A rape case was lodged against CPN-UML leader and former minister, Mahesh Basnet, on Sunday in District Police Range, Kathmandu.

A high official source from District Police Range, Kathmandu, speaking with THT, requested to keep identity anonymous and said, "We have received a complaint through postal service today. We are currently reviewing and verifying the complaint. After that, only we will be able to take any further stance."

A 31-year-old female cadre of the UML filed a FIR today at the District Police Range in Kathmandu through postal service, alleging that Mahesh Basnet raped her twice and forced her to have an abortion, killing a two and a half-month-old foetus.

She has also accused Basnet of killing 2 months and 15 days foetus. The victim has alleged that he killed the foetus twice by giving medicine and performing surgery. Basnet has been demanded to be prosecuted for the crime of foeticide as it is contrary to Section 188 of the National Penal Code (Act) 2017. She was forced to have an abortion twice, with the help of medicine and surgery, according to the complaint.

Article 188(1) of National Penal Code (2017) states that "No person shall, except in the case referred to in Section 189, commit abortion, or do any act with intent to cause, or with the knowledge that, or having reason to believe that, such act is likely to cause, abortion."

It further reiterates in Article 188(3)(b) that, "A sentence of imprisonment for a term not exceeding three years and a fine not exceeding 30,000 rupees in the case of pregnancy of more than twelve weeks and up to twenty-five weeks."

The victim has also claimed that her apartment was robbed on the morning of 20 February 2024, on Basnet's instructions to destroy evidence of rape and infanticide. According to her complaint, "On the instructions of Basnet, two youths entered my apartment, beat me up, and forcibly took away my mobile and other electronic devices."

As a result, the complaint has also demanded to probe and punish them to the extent possible, including the offence under Section 244(1) (d) of the Nation Penal Code (Act) 2017.

Article 244 has provisions related to the prohibition of robbery: Article 244(2) stipulates, "No person shall commit, or cause to be committed, robbery." Likewise, 244 (d) states, "commits theft in a group of three or more persons."

The punishments related to Article 244 (2) (d) is mentioned in clause 3(b) which reads, "A sentence of imprisonment for a term of five to ten years and a fine of 50,000 to 100,000 rupees, in the case of the offence referred to in clause (c) or (d) of sub-section (2)."

Mahesh Basnet Former, former minister of industry, in the Sushil Koirala's Cabinet, is also a politburo Member and Youth In-charge of CPN- UML.