21 February 2022, Kathmandu: Reversing the decision of the Chitwan District Court, on 20 February 2022, the Joint- Bench of Chandi Raj Dhakal and Nagendra Karna of Patan High Court, Hetauda Bench has sentenced life imprisonment to security personnel of Nepal Army (NA), Chiran Kumar Buda, stating him guilty for the murder of 24-year-old Raj Kumar Chepang, of Rapti Municipality, Ward No.2 of Chitwan District.
Responding to the Court’s decision, Bishnu Lal Chepang, Raj Kumar Chepang’s father said, “I am happy to hear the decision of the High Court; Now, I want to see the implementation of Court’s decision.”
Earlier, on 11 July 2021, the Chitwan District Court had sentenced nine months’ imprisonment to Buda and had charged him with NPR 9,000 (Nine Thousand) as a fine and NPR 200,000 (Two Lakhs) as compensation to Chepang’s family. Dissatisfied with the decision, the case was appealed at the Patan High Court, Hetauda Bench on 24 August 2021.
AF demands the implementation of the High Court’s verdict. Furthermore, AF requests the concerned authorities to ensure protection to the victim’s family and witnesses.
Raj Kumar Chepang, along with his friends were detained and tortured by the security personnel on 16 July 2020 from the premises of Chitwan National Park while they had gone there in search of ghongi (snails). Raj Kumar Chepang died after a week on 23 July 2020. For more details on the case, see the link: Fact-Finding report on Raj Kumar Chepang Torture and Death by Nepal Army – 16 September 2020
AF has been following up on the case from the beginning and providing legal support to the case.
