KATHMANDU:  Former DIG Ranjan Koirala who was incarcerated on the charge of murdering his wife has been released from Dilli Bazaar jail on Thursday.

Jailer Ganesh Acharya has confirmed that Koirala has been released from Dilli Bazaar jail.

On January 22, 2012, Koirala had been arrested from Thankot while he was returning to Kathmandu from Narayangadh.

Koirala had been serving a jail-term since then.

District Court, Kathmandu and High Court, Patan had slapped him with a life-imprisonment on the charge of murdering his wife Geeta.

Koirala has been freed from the jail today after Supreme Court on June 29, 2020 reduced his sentence to eight years and six months, waiving 11 years and six months.

A joint bench of Chief Justice Cholendra Shumsher Rana and Justice Tej Bahadur KC reduced the jail-term of Koirala arguing that his life-imprisonment would adversely impact on the up-keep and education of his minor sons.

According to the complaint stated in the murder case filed at the court, on January 11, 2012, Geeta Dhakal had died after being pushed by her husband in a dispute that cropped up over financial issue.

Koirala had murdered his wife in cold blood and destroyed evidences by burning her body parts.

District Court, Kathmandu on April 20, 2014, issued a verdict sentencing Koirala to life in prison, along with the confiscation of all his properties.

Background of the incident

DIG Ranjan and Geeta had tied the knot in 2050 BS.  Two sons were born to them.

They started living separately after their relationship soured. The house based in Budhanilkantha was in the name of Geeta. Ranjan wanted to divorce her.

Geeta disappeared on January 11, 2012.  It was later revealed that Ranjan murdered her in the house based in Budhanilkantha and burnt her body in the jungle of Tistung, Makwanpur.