Pokhara, December 10

District Court Kaski on Thursday sentenced Sajit Bhari of Baglung Buspark, Pokhara to three years in jail along with a fine of Rs 25,000 for polygamy.

According to legal practitioners, this is the biggest penalty awarded to a person for polygamy in the district.

District Court Judge Ananta Raj Dumre issued this verdict at a time when 16-days of campaign against gender violence is being observed worldwide, including in Nepal, said court registrar Dina Bandhu Baral.

Similarly, Jyoti Gurung has been sentenced to two years in jail along with a fine of Rs 5,000 for tying the knot with a married man. She, however, has been absconding.

Sajit’s wife Punam Shrestha, who had tied the knot with him four years ago, had filed an FIR at District Police Office Kaski.

Though he had been a loving husband initially, he came down to abusing her physically and mentally as time passed, Shrestha said. She was compelled to file the complaint against her husband as he had brought Jyoti to their house as his second wife a year ago.