Nepal police register FIR against ex-Speaker over rape allegations

Nepal Police on Saturday registered a case against the former Parliament Speaker Krishna Bahadur Mahara, who has been accused of raping a parliamentary woman staff, according to a media report.

Police lodged an FIR after receiving a formal complaint from the woman, the Himalayan Times reported.

Police said it has filed the case against the former Speaker under attempt to rape and acts of violence.

In a video released by online news portal Hamro Kura, the woman claims that she has known Mahara for years and that he has behaved indecently with her in the past as well.

The woman said Mahara visited her rented room on September 23 while she was alone.

The woman said she tried to stop Mahara, who was in an inebriated state, from entering her home but he did not listen.

She alleged Mahara forced himself on her and when she tried to stop him, he abused her. In the video, the woman displayed blue marks on her body, saying these were the places Mahara struck her.

Mahara resigned from his post of Speaker on October 1 after pressure from the ruling Nepal Communist Party over the allegations. However, he continues to hold his position as a member of the House of Representative.

The police said it will carry out further investigation and and take necessary actions from Sunday onwards, the report said.

According to the Nepalese law, Mahara could face up to five year imprisonment if proved guilty.

The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has also formed a three member panel to monitor investigations into the alleged rape charge against Mahara.

NHRC has also written to the authorities concerned, requesting information on the police handling of the case and any initiative taken for the safety of a journalist who broke the story in the media.