Rape compalint registered against lawmaker Mohan Baniya in Banke

Published On: February 10, 2022 06:00 PM NPT By: Republica | @RepublicaNepal

JUMLA, Feb 10: Lawmaker Mohan Baniya, 57, of Khatyad Rural Municipality has been accused of raping a woman from Jumla. A rape case was registered against the politician at the District Police Office in Banke. It is mentioned in the complaint that the politician had called the woman to Apsara Hotel in Nepalgunj, where she was sexually abused.

According to the Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Madhu Sudhan Neupane of the district police office, a complaint has already been registered against the lawmaker and an investigation is currently underway. Earlier, the District Police Office had not registered the complaint stating that a permission from the Speaker should be taken. The complaint was registered four days after the woman reported the incident.

The victim has registered the complaint under the name ‘Nepalgunj 2’. According to the victim, she was sexually abused by the lawmaker in Room 215 of Apsara Hotel on February 2 at around 5AM.

She stated that Lawmaker Baniya owed her Rs 2.5 million and had not returned the money for almost two years. She was called by Baniya to receive the money at Surkhet on February 1. But upon reaching Surkhet, Baniya said that money had been collected by his relative in Nepalgunj and pressured her to travel with him to Apsara Hotel to receive the money. “I said I will return home and then asked him to deliver the money the next day, but he insisted that the money will arrive by dawn. I stayed IN my room and slept. At around 5AM, Baniya knocked on the hotel door and said that the money had arrived and asked me to open the door,” the victim informed Republica.

“As soon as i opened the door, Baniya started to sexually abuse me and when i denied, he threated to kill me in the same hotel room if i did not comply with him or told anyone about the incident,” she added.

The victim has demanded an investigation against the lawmaker and accused him of the grave crime. A health test of the victim has already been done, the police said.