The Dailekh District Court has sentenced Bikash Karki, 21 of Dungeshwar Rural Municipality-4 to one year imprisonment and a fine of Rs. 10,000 for marrying a 17-year-old girl.
Although the victim’s side had filed a complaint alleging sexual abuse, the bench of Judge Kul Prasad Pandey concluded that the incident constituted child marriage and issued the sentence accordingly, District Court Information Officer Ganesh Prasad Regmi informed.
Court investigation revealed that the girl and the accused were in a relationship and had married without the consent of their families. After it was established that the girl’s guardians had filed the complaint as a case of sexual abuse, the charge was converted into a child marriage case. The girl is currently under the protection of her guardians.
The victim’s side had filed a complaint at the Dailekh District Police Office on March 8, 2025, alleging that the incident occurred on March 7, 2025. Police arrested the accused on March 10, 2025. The girl’s medical examination was conducted on the same day at Dailekh Hospital.
Through the District Government Attorney’s Office, a charge related to sexual abuse was registered at the Dailekh District Court on March 28, the bench of District Court Judge Kul Prasad Pandey ordered that the accused be sent to Dailekh Jail for trial, the next day.