ITAHARI, April 29: The Biratnagar High Court has summoned Krishna Das Giri, popularly known as Siddhababa of Chatara, Sunsari, in a case where he stands accused of raping one of his disciples. The court's order requires Giri, the defendant, to appear before the court within one month.
Following an appeal filed against the Sunsari District Court's decision favoring Giri, the Biratnagar High Court, presided over by judges Sridharakumari Pudasaini and Naresh Kumar Chaudhary, issued the summons on Friday.
According to Information Officer Yubraj Paudel, the court's directive requires the defendant to present himself in court within the specified one-month period.
The District Court, Sunsari, recently decided to acquit Giri on September 13, 2023. Recently, Sunsari District Judge Hari Prasad Koirala ruled that the plaintiff should give explanation as the evidence against Giri was not sufficient.
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Recently, on September 13, 2023, the Sunsari District Court acquitted Giri of the charges. However, the District Attorney's Office in Sunsari filed an appeal at the High Court, disagreeing with the decision of the district court.
The then Chief District Judge of Sunsari, Arjun Prasad Koirala, decided to acquit Giri on December 7, 2020. At that time, an appeal was filed against the verdict at the High Court, Biratnagar.
At that time, the District Government Attorney Office filed an application demanding to postpone the hearing. However, it appealed to the High Court saying that the decision was made on the basis of a one-sided hearing after only hearing the statement of the accused party.
The High Court overturned the decision of the District Court and sent it to the District Court for reconsideration. After that, the district court decided to acquit Giri on September 27, 2023, citing insufficient evidence despite a thorough investigation.
A complaint was initially lodged at the Kathmandu Police Range in October 2019 accusing Giri of calling his disciple to the ashram and raping her. After that, the Central Bureau of Investigation investigated the incident and handed it over to the District Police Office, Sunsari.
Although the police arrested Giri and started an investigation, he was admitted to Birat Nursing Home Biratnagar on the pretense of being ill.
While he was in the hospital, the then Chief Judge of Sunsari District Court, Radha Krishna Upreti, ordered his release on a bond of Rs 300,000. Even against that order, the District Attorney Office appealed to the Biratnagar High Court.
Then a joint bench of Chief Judge Til Prasad Shrestha and Judge Prem Raj Karki ordered Giri to be detained and the case remanded. On the day of the High Court's order, Giri was successful in fleeing to India by tricking the security guard near Jogbani.
Later, he appeared in court and was sent to the regional jail in Jhumka. Although he was released after spending some time in prison, the case was not resolved. However, he was acquitted by the verdict of September 13, 2023.
