KATHMANDU: Kathmandu District Court on Monday acquitted former Speaker Krishna Bahadur Mahara in an attempt to rape case.

A single bench of Judge Amar Raj Poudel pronounced the former Speaker not guilty of attempting to rape an employee at Parliament Secretariat.

Though the hearing of the high-profile case concluded on Sunday, the verdict was moved for today citing lack of time.

A rape case was filed at Kathmandu District Court against Mahara 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 the female employee.