The Kathmandu District Court, on Sunday, directed the police to produce the doctor who carried out a test on "Gaushala 26", the minor who was allegedly raped by cricketer Sandeep Lamichhane.

A single judge bench of Shankar Raj Baral issued the order after finding that the statement produced earlier in the court wasn’t from the doctor who had examined the victim. “As the doctor who examined the victim was on leave, the statement of another doctor was recorded and presented to the court. The bench, therefore, orders the presence of the doctor who actually examined her,” Ramji Phuyal, a bench officer at the court, told the Post.

Further hearing in the case will be held once the doctor records his statement in the court.

The district attorney's office on August 21 had lodged a case against Lamichhane, accusing him of raping Gaushala 26 (the name given by the police to the 17-year-old girl) on August 21, which is currently sub judice in the district court.

The district court on November 4 last year had ordered that Lamichhane be sent to the Sundhara-based central jail after a detention hearing. Lamichhane had challenged the order in Patan High Court.

On January 12, a division bench of judges Dhruva Raj Nanda and Ramesh Dahal decided to release him on bail while the investigation continues. The court, however, barred Lamichhane from travelling abroad and directed him to report to the police before leaving Kathmandu.

Thereafter, the national cricketer moved the Supreme Court requesting an order that he be allowed to travel abroad, for playing. The court on February 27 lifted Lamichhane's travel ban. He then travelled to the United Arab Emirates to play in the ICC World Cup League 2.