The Kathmandu District Attorney Office on Wednesday filed a chargesheet against standup comedian Apoorwa Kshitiz Singh seeking up to five-year prison sentence on four different charges.

As per the charge sheet prepared by the District Attorney's Office, Apoorwa has been accused of committing crimes under section 65, 165, 166 and 168 of the National Penal (Code) Act, 2017.

Achyut Neupane, chief of the district attorney office in Kathmandu informed that the charge sheet has been filed at the Kathmandu District Court and the office has brought four different charges against the accused which could attract a maximum of five years of imprisonment.

The attorney’s office in the chargesheet has demanded a sentence of imprisonment for a term not exceeding one year and a fine not exceeding 10 thousand rupees under section 65 (1) and (2), stating that Apoorwa’s performance “is prejudicial to harmonious relationship between peoples of different classes, regions or communities of Nepal.”

Likewise, the office has demanded a sentence of imprisonment for a term not exceeding three years or a fine not exceeding 30 thousand rupees or both the sentences, under section 166 (1) of the penal code stating that Apoorwa’s act amounts to discriminatory treatment on grounds of caste.

Similarly, the government-filed chargesheet has also demanded a sentence of imprisonment for a term not exceeding five years and a fine not exceeding 50 thousand rupees under section 168 (2) of the penal code for degrading or inhuman treatment.

The government attorney has also demanded a sentence of imprisonment for a term not exceeding one year or a fine not exceeding 10 thousand rupees or both the sentences under section 165 (1) accusing the comedian of undermining social rites and rituals.

The standup comedian, who was re-arrested on Monday, remained in custody on Wednesday as the district court did not schedule a hearing even as the police and the Kathmandu District Attorney’s Office had said that they presented the investigation report and necessary documents to the court.

Apoorwa was arrested on August 28, after Kathmandu District Court issued an arrest warrant for his allegedly insensitive and derogatory comments on the Newa community.

He was arrested after multiple complaints were lodged against him accusing him of making derogatory remarks about culture and tradition of the Newa community during his standup comedy show, a part of which was also uploaded on YouTube.

Before his arrest, on August 27, Apoorwa had apologised for his performance through his Facebook page, blaming his lack of research and poor knowledge for his trespass against the Newa community. He has also removed the post from YouTube.

Later, on September 8, the police released him on bail after he got infected with Covid-19.