JANAKPUR: The Kathmandu District Court has ordered former Chief of Madhesh Province, Rajesh Jha (Ahiraj), to be remanded in custody for trial in connection with a rape case.
A single bench of Judge Pitambar Sharma issued the remand order on Wednesday following a hearing on the case registered a day earlier.
Jha has been accused of repeatedly raping a young woman who worked as his assistant, allegedly summoning her to his house when she was alone.
He was arrested on July 20 from Kathmandu, based on a complaint originally filed on February 15, 2025.
The District Government Attorney’s Office filed the case under Section 219(2) of the Criminal Code, seeking 7 to 10 years of imprisonment. Additionally, a fine of Rs 300,000 was demanded under Section 219(3)(Ga).
Jha had been accused in an earlier complaint filed during his tenure as Province Chief in 2021. The complainant, using a changed identity, had stated that Jha had sexually assaulted her starting from the age of 17, when she worked in his home. The age of 17 is legally considered a minor in Nepal, and even consensual relations with a minor are classified as rape under the law.
The girl initially approached the National Women Commission for help. With the assistance of rights activists, she lodged a formal complaint with the District Police Office in Kathmandu on January 23, 2025, which was officially registered on February 15.
At the time of the earlier complaint, Jha had reportedly fled to India to avoid arrest. He has previously identified himself as a nationalist and Madhesh-based activist.
Comment