KATHMANDU: The bail hearing for rape-accused former Speaker Krishna Bahadur Mahara has started.

Twenty-nine advocates are advocating the case on behalf of Mahara today. Of the total 33 advocates who registered their name (on the roll of advocates) for advocacy in the court, four advocated on Sunday.

The bail hearing had begun under the single bench of Judge Sudarshan Pandey yesterday after Kathmandu District Court concluded recording Mahara’s statements on Friday.

After hearing the case on Monday, the court will determine whether or not to allow Mahara to post bail and be released from police custody for the duration of his trial.

While recording his statement at court, Mahara had refuted an attempt to rape charges labeled against him. He had denied the allegation that he visited the rented room of Roshani Shahi, a female employee at Parliament Secretariat, on the date which the police claim he committed the crime.

A rape case was filed at Kathmandu District Court against Mahara on Thursday demanding seven and a half years imprisonment.

The District Attorney Office, Kathmandu had filed a case demanding a maximum of five years in jail for an attempt to rape and an additional two and a half years imprisonment for allegedly committing the crime by misusing power.

Mahara was arrested from his official residence in Baluwatar on October 6 after Kathmandu District Court issued an arrest warrant against him for allegedly raping Shahi.