The Lalitpur District Court has sentenced businessman Sushil Chataut, who was convicted of raping a minor girl living under his care, to 18 years in prison.
A bench of District Judge Sita Adhikari on Monday pronounced a jail term of 18 years and one month for Chataut.
According to registrar Bishnu Pandey, the court has ordered Chataut to pay Rs 800,000 in reparation to the victim.
Chataut also has to deposit Rs 2,800 in the victim relief fund.
The Lalitpur District Government Attorney’s Office (DGAO) had sought a jail term of 18 to 20 years for Chataut.
On April 24, 2022, the DGAO had filed a case at the Lalitpur District Court accusing Chataut of raping a 13-year-old girl living under his care.
Originally from Kanchanpur, Chataut lives in House No. 48 of Green Hill City in Imadol, Lalitpur. He is involved in Kalanga Gad Hydropower Project as well as construction, transport, hotel and other businesses.
The girl had not been able to tell anyone about her rape by Chataut for a long time. She had fled from the home she was living in seeking protection from the state. But she appeared to have turned hostile, changing her statement while testifying in court, after the police, the National Child Rights Council, the DGAO and the court did not give her protection.
