The District Court of Arghakhanchi has sentenced Govinda Prasad Basnyal, 63, also known as Gopal, of Sandhikharka Municipality-12, Kallabot, to life imprisonment for raping a 26-year-old woman with a disability. According to Ashok Bhandari, Deputy Registrar of the District Court, the bench of Judge Shivalal Pandey on November 17 found the accused guilty and sentenced him to life imprisonment, imposed a fine of Rs 700,000 to be paid as compensation to the victim, and directed Rs 28,000 to be deposited into the Victim Relief Fund.
The aggrieved party filed a complaint at the District Police Office, Sandhikharka, on June 14, 2024, alleging that the accused had raped the woman in the December 2023. The victim gave birth on November 12. The accused Basnyal, who had been absconding after the incident, was arrested on March 2, 2025.
The victim underwent a medical examination at Arghakhanchi District Hospital, Sandhikharka, on June 14, 2024.