District Court sentenced Gajendra Prasad Sah, 38, of Rupani Rural Municipality-2, to two and a half years in prison, on 10 April 2023, on the charge of concealing the crime of rape by forced abortion of a 17-year-old girl.
District Judge Hemant Rawal’s bench sentenced to 2 years imprisonment for forced abortion and 6 months for concealment of the crime.
According to Bharatmani Pokhrel, Information Officer, the court ordered the accused to pay compensation of 150,000, Rs. 13,000 fine, and Rs.400 rupees to a relief fund for victims of criminal offenses.
Accused Gajendra was released on bail of Rs. 4,000,00 on 18 July 2021
The victim’s grandfather filed a police report, on 25 February 2021, against the accused Birendra Prasad Sah, 25, the brother of the accused, who raped the victim resulting in her pregnancy, Gajendra, his brother Birendra and Birendra’s father-in-law Hemnarayan Sah (Haluwai) of Sonapur Village Post, Supaul District, Bihar State, India. He accused them of transporting the victim to Darbhanga, India, and forcing her to abort her pregnancy of 8 months.
The district police office registered a complaint against the accused on 1 March 2021. The health examination of the victim girl was conducted at BP Koirala Institute of Health Sciences in Dharan on 25 February 2021.
Accused Gajendra was the principal of BS (Baldev Sah) Memorial Boarding School located in Rupani Rural Municipality-2, and his brother Birendra was working as the assistant principal. It is alleged that Birendra raped the victim several times, however, the assault of 9 April 2020 resulted in the pregnancy. The police filed a charge sheet in the Saptari District Court on 28 March 2021. The accused Birendra and his father-in-law Hemnarayan are absconding.