KATHMANDU: As the Nepal Police initiated the process of issuing a notice through Interpol to arrest suspended cricketer Sandeep Lamichhane, the latter has claimed he would return to Nepal soon.

Lamichhane, who is accused of raping a 17-year-old minor, said that he would return to Nepal at an appropriate time.

It’s been 19 days since an arrest warrant was issued against him by Kathmandu District Court.

However, Lamichhane is not in touch with both the police and the Cricket Association of Nepal (CAN) lately.

On Sunday night, he wrote a status on his Facebook saying, “It’s my good fortune to be included in the national cricket team at the age of 16. It was not something that could be earned by my little hard work.”

According to him, it involved positive thinking, tireless hard work and constant efforts to improve himself in cricket.

“I have always moved forward with the desire to keep Nepal’s name high in the world cricket world. I feel proud to make the name of Nepal known through my hard work,” he said.

“I came to know about the complaint filed against me and the false accusation of rape,” he said adding, “This has not only affected and damaged my mental health but physical health as well.”

The warrant issued in his name and the complaint against him that became public made him mentally exhausted, he has said.

Lamichhane further added, “All these things affected me mentally on the one hand and, on the other hand, I had to go through physical illness. Therefore, I decided to keep myself in isolation for some time.”

He added, “I have been mentally and physically affected by the portrayal of a criminal based on false allegations, I have been brought back to normal with the advice of doctors and my health is gradually improving and I am planning to return to Nepal as soon as possible to defend the false complaint against me.”

A girl, 17, filed a case alleging Lamichhane for taking her to various places in Kathmandu and Bhaktapur all day on August 21 and brought her to a hotel in Sinamangal of Kathmandu where she was raped the same night.