KATHMANDU: The Supreme Court (SC) has completed the hearing on Cricketer Sandeep Lamichhane’s writ seeking permission to go abroad to play cricket.
Lamichhane, who is accused of raping a minor, had filed a writ seeking revocation of Patan High Court’s order to ban him from going abroad to play cricket.
The single bench of Justice Ishwor Prasad Khatiwada heard on the writ.
During the hearing, senior advocates Shambhu Thapa and Sarojkrishna Ghimire argued for Sandeep demanding he should be allowed to play abroad representing the nation.
During the debate, Advocate Ghimire showed a photograph of Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal ‘Prachanda’ shaking hands with cricketer Sandeep, however, Justice Khatiwada refused to look at it saying the Court does not monitor who shakes hands or ignores it.
Earlier in an event held in Baluwatar, Prime Minister Dahal had honored Nepali cricket players and shook hands with all team members of Nepali Cricket team.
During the debate, Judge Khatiwada said that in other petitions like the one given by Sandeep, there is a process of seeking the decision of the lower court and seeking the opinion of the attorney general’s office.
Cricket Manager of Cricket Association of Nepal (CAN) Binod Das was also present in the court.
Das tried to assure that since Sandeep’s passport is with the manager, they would arrange for him to go abroad and return safely.
The court will give a decision on Sandeep’s application shortly.
The Nepali team is going to UAE tomorrow (Saturday) for the ODI series against UAE and PNG under the ICC World Cricket League-2.
Sandeep filed a writ in the Supreme Court saying that he should also be allowed to go to UAE for the said series.
Sandeep, who was accused of raping a minor, was released from prison on a bail of Rs 20 lakhs, barring him from going abroad. The case against him is pending in Kathmandu District.
In a similar petition given by the Attorney General’s Office to cancel the order of the High Court, the division bench of Justices Prakash Dhungana and Hari Phuyal listed the case not to be heard today.
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