KATHMANDU: Puja Bohara from Bajura, who was raped at a tender age of 14 years, has finally got justice, eight years after she was gang-raped.

A joint bench of Justices Sapana Pradhan Malla and Hari Prasad Phuyal at the Supreme Court (SC) on Thursday made a verdict in Bohara’s favor annulling the verdict of then the Dipayal Appellate Court to acquit the rapists.

The court pronounced Sagar Bhatta and Amar Awasthi guilty for the rape. The court now within one month will decide on the punishment they will receive.

The then Dipayal Appellate Court had acquitted the accused in the much-talked-about rape case. The apex court had reopened the case after the government moved the apex court filing an appeal to punish those who had allegedly raped Bohara some eight years ago.

Bohara was allegedly raped by Bhatta and Awasthi of Batidai on March 20, 2012. The incident had only come to light after Bohara who had suffered mental illness after the rape recovered after treatment.

Police had arrested the accused only after pressure from mass media, civil society and student organizations.

After the investigation, a rape case was filed against the accused at the Baitadi District. Making a verdict on the case, the then District Judge Himal Pathak had sent the accused to 13 years in jail along with a fine of Rs 50, 000.

The case took a turn after a joint bench of the then Judges Nar Bahadur Shahi and Ramesh Prasad Rajbhandari at Dipayal Appellate Court acquitted the accused. The court’s decision was criticized by several quarters. Sahi was recently sacked for hearing a case by breaching the jurisdiction of the court.