The Supreme Court has ordered the submission of case files in the rape case involving former Madhesh province chief Rajesh Ahiraj, also known as Rajesh Jha, who is currently in judicial custody.
A bench of Justices Kumar Regmi and Shreekanta Paudel issued the order on Friday.
Ahiraj had filed a petition at the Supreme Court on November 9, demanding that the order to place him in judicial custody be annulled.
Earlier, a bench of Patan High Court Chief Judge Lal Bahadur Kunwar and Judge Khadananda Tiwari had ordered that he remain in custody. After the high court upheld the Kathmandu District Court’s decision on July 30, Ahiraj was sent to judicial custody for pre-trial detention.
Ahiraj had moved the Supreme Court challenging both orders.
Ahiraj was arrested on July 20 on the charge of rape.
A complaint was filed at the District Police Range, Kathmandu, against Ahiraj on January 16. The police registered the complaint, but obtained an arrest warrant from the Kathmandu District Court only on April 7.
Ahiraj is accused of repeatedly raping the victim on May 17, 2024, when no one else was present in his room. According to the victim, Ahiraj also threatened to kill her if she told anyone about the incident.
Ahiraj served as the province chief of Madhesh from February 19, 2021, to August 16, 2021.
