Nepal cricketer Sandeep Lamichhane landed in massive trouble when a 17-year-old girl accused the cricketer of raping her. A Nepali court also issued an arrest warrant for the cricketer following the accusation. However, Lamichhane is not in the country and has chosen to stay in the Caribbean post his participation in the Caribbean Premier League.
Although he has assured that he will return home soon to fight the accusations, the Nepal government has sought help from Interpol in the matter. They want the intelligence agency to help them locate the fugitive suspended national cricket team captain. Following the request, Interpol issued a “diffusion” notice against Lamichhane on Sunday and asked the member countries for their cooperation in locating the cricketer.
Nepali Police spokesperson Tek Prasad Rai has said that they are hopeful of getting a hand on the cricketer and moving ahead with the proceedings. "We hope this will help the arrest of Lamichhane for the investigation of a rape complaint case against him," he was quoted saying by the news agency AFP.
Notably, a few days back, Lamichhane pledged on social media to return home "as soon as possible" to fight the accusation. He did not reveal his whereabouts though. The 22-year-old posted on Facebook that he was in "isolation" due to his mental and physical condition, saying the arrest warrant had "made me mentally disturbed".
"The news that a warrant has been issued in my name and that the complaint against me has been lodged made me upset and unwell," Lamichhane's said in a Facebook post written in Nepali on September 26. "I was not able to think about what to do and what not to do.
"All these things affected me mentally on one hand and on the other hand, I had to go through illness, and due to mental stress and ill health, I kept myself in isolation. I have been mentally and physically affected by the portrayal and I have reached a state of imbalance and I have been bringing myself back to a normal state under the advice of doctors. My health is gradually improving, and I am planning to return to Nepal as soon as possible to defend against the false complaint against me."
Notably, the minor girl claimed that Lamichhane took her to a hotel in Kathmandu and raped her on the eve of his departure to Kenya.