The Supreme Court, overturning an earlier joint-bench decision, has sentenced Govinda Bahadur Batala, an accused in the murder of Koteshwor-based businessman Ramhari Shrestha, to 10 years of imprisonment.
According to Supreme Court Joint Registrar Arjun Prasad Koirala, the court overturned the previous verdict on Thursday, ruling that Batala should serve 10 years in prison.
The verdict was delivered by a full bench comprising Justices Nahakul Subedi, Abdul Aziz Musalman, and Shanti Singh Thapa.
Previously, the Chitwan District Court had sentenced Batala to three years in prison. The decision was upheld by the Patan High Court.
When the case later reached the Supreme Court, Batala was acquitted. However, after an appeal was filed against the acquittal, the Supreme Court’s full bench heard the case again and ultimately increased the prison sentence to 10 years.
The first ruling in the case was issued on May 31, 2011, by a bench of Judge Bholanath Choulagain, which sentenced Batala to three years in prison.
In April 2008, Ramhari Shrestha was allegedly abducted from Kathmandu and transported to a Maoist combatant cantonment in Shaktikhor, Chitwan.
Shrestha reportedly died due to severe beating. His body was later found dumped in the Narayani River.
Meanwhile, a driver accused in the case has been acquitted.
