The Office of the Attorney General has warned to lodge case against elected people's representatives if the play any role in out-of-court settlement of rape cases.
"It is the legal responsibility of anyone who has information about such offenses to inform the police, and help in arrest of the accused, rescue, treatment and protection of the victim," the office stated issuing a statement on Tuesday after revelation of incidents of elected people's representatives helping reach settlements between the perpetrators and victims at the local level.
"Helping reach illegal settlement and agreement in such offenses, instead of fulfilling the responsibility, wherein settlements cannot be reached is a punishable offense in itself."
It has warned that such activities of forging settlements knowingly or unknowingly are illegal and cannot be protected or endorsed by the law. The statement signed by Attorney General Agni Kharel urges the elected representatives to help in investigation, prosecution and delivery of justice in such offenses.
The office has also instructed all the district attorney offices to operate sensitization program about illegality of such settlements in coordination with the police. It added that the Office of the Attorney General itself will also start a sensitization campaign about the role citizens, society and the elected representatives should play in investigation, prosecution and delivery of justice in offenses deemed punishable by the law.
