Biratnagar, February 18
The government attorneys are preparing to file an appeal at the Biratnagar High Court against a verdict of the Sunsari District Court to acquit controversial religious leader Krishna Giri aka Siddhababa of a rape charge.
The court had acquitted the ‘ascetic’ in December 2020, but its full text was published just last week. The full text had revealed that the district judge acquitted the ‘ascetic’ citing the alleged victim ‘surrendered’ her body to him, and it was widely criticised.
Sunsari District Attorney Narayan Rimal says his office is currently studying the verdict to prepare for the appeal.
In general, judges consider statements given by the alleged victims as a strong form of evidence as far as a rape charge is concerned, but this verdict has completely ignored the victim’s statement. Therefore, stakeholders including Attorney General Agni Prasad Kharel have also already questioned the judgement.
