Rabi Lamichhane gets clean chit

CHITWAN, Jan 20: Chitwan District Court has given a clean-chit to television presenter Rabi Lamichhane, his associate Yubaraj Kandel and nurse Asmita Karki on Sunday.

A single bench of justice Hemanta Rawal gave the verdict stating the claims made by the plaintiff were not sufficient.

“Evidence to establish a connection between the scene and defendants’ actions were not availed. The video footage cannot be accepted as the final truth and irreversible evidence,” the verdict reads.

The trio was accused of abetting Mountain Television journalist Salikram Pudasaini to suicide in August. Pudasaini was found hanging from a ceiling in a hotel room in Narayangadh on August 5.

The police, based on a video clip recovered from Pudasaini’s mobile, had arrested Lamichhane, Kandel and Karki and taken to Chitwan for further investigation.

Pudasaini, in the self-recorded video before hanging himself, had held Lamichhane chiefly responsible for committing suicide.

District attorney office had registered a case against the trio seeking five-year in jail.

Following a two-week-long investigation, the district court had released them on bail on August 26, while barring Lamichhane to produce programs related to his arrest and the death of Pudasaini.