HETAUDA, JULY 20
A ward chairperson in Makawanpur who was detained for sexually abusing a minor, has been freed on bail. Arrested last week for abusing a 14-year-old girl, Bhuwansingh Ghalan, chairperson of Ward No 9 of Kailash Rural Municipality, Makawanpur, was freed yesterday after he posted Rs 24,000 bail following order of the District Court.
Last month, Kalika Secondary School of Ward 9, Kailash Rural Municipality, had brought some of its students to Hetauda to participate in the President Running Shield District-level School Sporting Competition.
An FIR was lodged with the police on July 8, alleging that ward Chair Ghalan had groped girls in a hotel where they were staying at midnight on July 2. Four days later after the FIR was filed, police had arrested Ghalan on July 13.
Ghalan had been elected to the post of ward chairperson representing Nepali Congress in the local level election. Following his arrest, Ghalan's party had organised a press conference in his support, alleging that the ward chair was framed on a false case. The police had completed their investigation in a week and submitted its report to the Government Attorney Office.
Following his release, Ghalan was welcomed by his waiting kin and party leaders and cadres on the premises of District Police Office. The victim's side, however, has raised question over the court decision and the role of police and the government attorney office to freeing the 'perpetrator'.
DSP Tek Bahadur Karki of District Police Office said they were compelled to wrap up the investigation soon given the high pressure of detainees in police detention.
A version of this article appears in the print on July 21, 2022, of The Himalayan Times.
