Dharan, March 3

Rape-accused Krishna Bahadur Giri, popularly known as Siddhababa, surrendered before Sunsari District Court today.

Giri had been absconding ever since Biratnagar High Court overruled Sunsari District Court’s ruling to release him from custody.

Giri was handed an arrest warrant after he turned up at the court. Giri was then sent to judicial custody. A police team had taken him to Jhumka Regional Jail. Sunsari district Court had issued a verdict to free him on a bail of Rs 3 lakh after he was charged with raping his female disciple on 30 December 2019.

The district government attorney’s office, however, had moved Biratnagar High Court against the district court’s verdict. The high court had overruled the district court’s decision and issued a ruling to keep Giri in judicial custody and take necessary action on January 23. While a hearing was under way at Biratnagar  High Court on January 23, Giri had left his body guard on the Nepali side of the border and had gone to India the same day. Four hours after he fled to India, the high court had overruled the district court’s decision to free him on bail.

Giri faces the charge of raping his female follower at his ashram on October 21 last year. After the female disciple registered an FIR with Sunsari District Police Office, Giri was arrested.  After his arrest, Giri had spent his time at Birat Nursing Home.

Staffer Nidhiram Dahal at Sunsari District Court said Giri was handed the arrest warrant and sent to Jhumka  Regional Jail after he surrendered to the court.

Giri told journalists that he had not absconded but had gone to India for treatment. Giri will stay at Jhumka jail until the final verdict of the court.

Sunsari DSP Binod Sharma said they came to know about Giri only after he had surrendered before the court. “Giri was sent to jail after he presented himself before the court on his own,” DSP Sharma added. Giri has demanded a separate kitchen and stove at the jail.

Jhumka Regional Court acting Chief Suryaman Baniya said they would provide an induction stove to Giri.

READ ALSO:

• Giri has two citizenship certificates