Krishna Bahadur Mahara, who refused to resign as lawmaker defying the ruling CPN's instructions, has lost the the status of lawmaker following arrest on charge of attempting to rape federal parliament secretariat staffer Roshni Shahi.
A joint team of Metropolitan Police Range Kathmandu and Metropolitan Police Crime Division arrested Mahara from the speaker's residence in Baluwatar Sunday afternoon after the Kathmandu District Court issued arrest warrant.
He will not receive any perks and benefits of lawmaker after arrest on a criminal charge.
An emergency secretariat meeting of ruling CPN held at the prime minister's (PM) residence in Baluwatar on Tuesday had asked Mahara to resign from both speaker and lawmaker to facilitate investigation. But Mahara resigned only from the post of speaker and refused to resign from that of lawmaker as per the secretariat decision.
Mahara will not have rights to carry out any duty of lawmaker and will not receive amnesty due for lawmaker following his arrest, as per clause 244(3) of the House of Representatives (HoR) regulations. He will not even be remunerated.
He, however, will get to keep the logo of lawmaker and will be suspended only if he is fund guilty by the court.
Mahara was accused of rape and assault by Shahi on Sunday. She claimed an inebriated Mahara reached her rented apartment in Tinkune with a bottle of whiskey when there was no one else in the apartment Sunday night and raped her.
Shahi lodged attempt to murder complaint with the Metropolitan Police Circle, New Baneshwore against Mahara on Friday claiming that Mahara attempted to rape her and assaulted her when she resisted.
Editor's Note: The news report earlier incorrectly mentioned Mahara will lose post of lawmaker. The error is regretted.
