Nepal spinner Sandeep
Lamichhane arrested after rape accusations
Lamichhane has played 74
times for Nepal in Twenty20 and one-day international cricket.
Nepal spinner Sandeep
Lamichhane was arrested on Thursday almost a month after a court issued a
warrant over the alleged rape of a 17-year-old girl.
Lamichhane, 22, was taken into custody after
landing at Kathmandu airport in Nepal, local police told Reuters.
He said on Facebook he was returning to
co-operate with the investigation and has denied any wrongdoing.
Lamichhane is Nepal's most high-profile
cricketer, having played in Australia's Big Bash and the Indian Premier League.
He was suspended as Nepal captain last month
following the rape accusations.
The warrant was issued by a Nepalese court on
8 September while Lamichhane was at the Caribbean Premier League (CPL).
A day later he tweeted to say he was leaving
the CPL and would return to Nepal.
On 25 September, he issued a further statement
having not returned, and after this Nepalese police said they had sought help
from Interpol with a "diffusion" notice asking member countries for
their co-operation in bringing Lamichhane back to the country to face charges.
"News of the arrest warrant issued
against me made me mentally disturbed. I could not think what to do and what
not to do," Lamichhane said.
"My health condition is gradually
improving and I am planning to return to Nepal as soon as possible to vehemently
fight back [against the allegations]."
He arrived in Kathmandu on a flight from Doha
on Thursday.
