JHAPA, AUGUST 1

A mental health patient in Jhapa spent more than three years in prison without undergoing trial.

Madhav Giri, a resident of Birtamod Municipality-8, who is a mental health patient, spent three years and four months before he was released from prison recently. Due to lack of evidence to prove any charge against him, Giri was released recently following the order of the Ilam High Court.

According to the victim’s kin, Giri, who has been suffering from mental health problems, was imprisioned as there was nobody to speak on his behalf. Giri was sent to jail on 12 August 2016, for public offence. According to the official record, he was released six months later. But, he was sent to prison again, two months later. There was no record of any charge against him, at the district police office, government attorney’s office, district administration office, district court and district prison.

After the jailor didn’t find any record about charges against Giri, he was released at the presence of his family members and people’s representatives following the Tuesday’s order of the Ilam High Court. Chief District Officer Udaya Bahadur Rana said Giri was released immediately after the high court issued the order.

A version of this article appears in e-paper on August 2, 2020, of The Himalayan Times.