A former member of the student union aligned with the ruling party was on Thursday sentenced to eight and half years in prison after being found guilty of rape.

Indra Hang Rai, who was arrested on October 29, 2019 after being accused of raping an 18-year-old, was also fined Rs150,000 for the crime.

“A single bench of Judge Binod Kumar Pokharel of Kathmandu District Court issued the sentence and slapped the fine,” said Ananda Prasad Shrestha, registrar at the court

Rai, a former assistant secretary at the Ratna Rajya Laxmi Campus chapter of the All Nepal National Free Students Union, was accused of raping an the girl by luring her to his relatives’ place in Makalbari under the pretext of playing deusi-bhailo.

Following the incident, the girl had filed a complaint at Metropolitan Police Circle, Boudha. Following the allegation, the student union had suspended Rai, who was a member of its central committee.

“Rai had spent months in jail before the final verdict came,” said Jailor Laxmi Prasad Sapkota, at Central Jail. “After the final verdict, he was again brought to the central jail.”