KATHMANDU: The Supreme Court has ruled on the Baitadi rape case ordering authorities to enforce an eleven-and-a half-year-prison term each on two persons accused of raping Puja Bohara.

A joint bench of Justice Sapana Malla and Hari Phuyal issued the verdict sending the accused – Sagar Bhatta and Amarraj Awasti – behind bars, reversing the decision of the Mahendrea High Court. The High Court had earlier acquitted Bhatta and Awasti of rape.

The bench of Justices Malla and Phuyal ruled handed the convicts six and a half years for rape and another five years for gang-rape.

Bohara was raped by Bhatta and Awasto when she was coming to Patan Bazaar of Baitadi to buy a guess paper in 2012.

Both the convicts have also been ordered to pay a compensation of Rs 10 lakhs to the victim.