Krishna Bahadur Mahara, who was arrested on Sunday over rape allegations, has been admitted to Norvic Hospital.

“We had taken him for a regular check-up after he complained of chest pain. His blood pressure and sugar level were found to be on the higher side. So doctors suggested that Mahara be admitted,” Senior Superintendent of Police Uttam Raj Subedi, chief of Kathmandu Metropolitan Police Range, told the Post.

Officials at the hospital confirmed that Mahara has been admitted.

“No one is allowed to meet Mahara, as he is in custody,” said Subedi.

After his arrest, police had kept Mahara in Singha Durbar police station.

Police arrested Mahara on Sunday evening from his residence in Baluwatar following a court order to investigate into rape allegations filed by a female staff member at the Parliament Secretariat on Friday, almost a week after reports surfaced that the former House Speaker had raped her in her Tinkune apartment.

Mahara stepped down as the House Speaker October 1 but he has not resigned as a Member of Parliament.

Mahara’s is the first high profile arrest in the country over rape allegations.
In the aftermath of the accusations and Mahara’s subsequent resignation as Speaker of the House of Representatives, there were many fears regarding the woman’s safety, the politicisation of the case, and if an impartial investigation into Mahara was even possible, given his political standing in the ruling Nepal Communist Party (NCP).

Conflicting statements from the accuser had further led to confusion.
The woman first made the allegations against Mahara on September 30 via a media portal. She then recanted her accusations in a video interview for another online platform. Many had believed that her recantation was made under duress.
Police had failed to make any progress on the case, citing the lack of a formal complaint and the woman’s disavowal of her initial allegations.
The investigation moved forward after rights groups and the international community expressed concerns over police and the state’s lackadaisical approach to gender-based violence.

Taking cognizance of the case, the National Human Rights Commission last week formed a three-member committee to monitor and study the investigation process. The United Nations’ office and six foreign missions based in Kathmandu in a statement on Friday reminded the government of Nepal of its obligations under international laws to ensure access to justice for victims, stand for victims’ rights and send a zero-tolerance message to combat gender-based violence. They, however, stopped short of referring to Mahara by name in their statement. Their concern about the high prevalence of violence against women in Nepal came just as there was public scrutiny of all developments in relation to the case.

As courts are currently closed for Dashain holidays, a hearing on Mahara case is unlikely before October 15.

“We are preparing to record his statement,” said Deputy Superintendent of Police Hobindra Bogati, spokesperson for the Kathmandu Metropolitan Police Range. “Once the courts open on October 15, we will produce Mahara before the court.”