KAPILVASTU, April 6: The Kapilvastu District Court has issued an arrest warrant against Judge Bhuvan Giri, who was recently transferred to the Judicial Council, in relation to a case of marital rape and violence against women (VAW). The case was filed by Giri's younger wife, Aarti Rawal. According to court sources, an arrest warrant was issued against Judge Giri after the case was registered, although official information has not been provided by court officials or police officers.
A court official confirmed that an arrest warrant had been issued against Judge Giri last Monday, but stated that the file of the case is currently with the police, and he was unaware of any further details. An officer from the police office explained that as the investigation is ongoing, they are unable to provide more detailed information at this time. "We are conducting a thorough investigation, and the case will be affected by the publicity that comes with issuing a statement now," he stated.
Aarti Rawal had been waiting for more than six months to register a case against her husband, Judge Bhuvan Giri. She even reached out to the Women's Commission for assistance. In an act of desperation, a few months ago, Aarti demonstrated alone in front of the Supreme Court gate and shared her ordeal with various media. Despite her efforts, it took a long time for the court to issue an arrest warrant against Judge Giri. On Monday, the Kapilvastu District Court finally issued the arrest warrant after the police submitted the long-pending case to the court.
Arrest warrant issued against Judge Giri
However, Judge Giri and his family have been claiming that Aarti Rawal is plotting to trap him under many pretexts. Earlier, an arrest warrant was issued against Justice Giri's wife, Aarti Rawal, from the Banke District Court. The Banke District Court gave permission to arrest Aarti Rawal on charges of forging government documents, including educational certificates.
According to family sources, Justice Giri met Aarti Rawal when he was working in Surkhet. They got married, and he gave her a property share in 2017 after getting into a dispute. After marriage, Aarti prepared a case against Judge Giri in Surkhet, and Giri arranged for his transfer to Dipayal, Kathmandu, Nepalgunj. Aarti Rawal accompanied him, but later filed the case again after a dispute. Even after Giri's transfer to Kapilvastu, frequent disputes continued between the couple.
Despite the claims made by Judge Giri and his family, Aarti Rawal's case has finally been taken seriously, and the court has issued an arrest warrant against Judge Giri. The judicial process will now unfold, and justice will be served.
Bhuvan Giri, a judge in Nepal, filed for divorce against his wife Aarti Rawal in the Banke District Court on December 26, 2022. The reason for the divorce was cited as Rawal repeatedly arguing that she had been deprived of the right to have children. The couple had been married for some time, but the disagreement over starting a family had become a major issue.
However, the situation between the couple escalated when Rawal filed a case of marital rape against Judge Giri. In response, Giri filed a complaint against Rawal at the Kapilvastu police station, accusing her of stealing money from his room and running away. However, this complaint was not registered by the police at the time.
It wasn't until women's rights activists put pressure on the police that the case of marital rape was eventually registered. This delay in registering the complaint caused frustration among those who felt that Rawal had been wronged.
The case has drawn attention to the issue of marital rape in Nepal and highlights the need for a more effective response to these types of crimes. While the case is ongoing, it has already sparked a wider conversation about the rights of women in the country and the challenges they face in seeking justice for crimes committed against them.
