A bench of Special Court Chairman Mohan Raman Bhattarai and members Pawan Kumar Sharma and Mahesh Prasad Pudasaini gave Raut clean chit stating that evidences were not enough to prove Raut guilty.The government on October 8 had filed a charge-sheet against Raut at the Special Court charging him with sedition. The government had demanded life imprisonment or 10 years jail for Raut, stating he was found guilty of treason as he had been carrying out anti-national activities.
Police in Morang had arrested Raut on September 14 from Rangeli in the district. Initially, Raut was booked under the Public Offence Act and the police had carried out an investigation into his campaign for 'independent Madhes'.
Following the event, Raut's brother Surya Kant had filed a habeas corpus petition claiming the former was detained illegally. Responding to the petition, a single bench of Justice Cholendra SJB Rana had ordered the police to present Raut in person at the court. However, a division bench of justices Sushila Karki and Gobinda Kumar Upadhyay had quashed the petition as the Special Court had already allowed the police to keep him in detention to investigate charges of anti-national activities against him. Police had brought Raut to Kathmandu from Biratnagar on September 18 and filed charge-sheet at the Special Court.
Special Court had ordered Raut's release on bail of Rs 50,000 after a hearings on whether to grant bail or not. Initially, Raut had denied submitting the bail amount and remained in custody for a few days. However, he later submitted the bail amount and was released.
Raut had been arguing that his right to freedom and expression was violated by the government by taking him into custody.
Raut was arrested when he was launching a campaign of 'independent Madhes'.
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