The High Court Patan has dismissed a petition seeking further investigation into the Mahesh Basnet rape case, stating that legal procedures are already in progress.
A joint bench of Justices Somkant Mainali and Keshav Prasad Adhikari issued the ruling on Wednesday, rejecting the writ filed by complainant Shobha Pathak. The petition had sought a mandamus order to reopen the investigation and initiate prosecution against UML Secretary Mahesh Basnet.
The Mahesh Basnet rape case dates back two years, when Pathak filed a complaint accusing Basnet of rape. After reviewing the case, the District Government Attorney’s Office concluded there was insufficient evidence and decided not to proceed. Pathak challenged that decision in the High Court, but her initial petition was dismissed.
Later, Pathak submitted a supplementary complaint, adding allegations including rape and forced abortion. Authorities again reviewed the additional claims and supporting evidence but found no grounds to file a case. She then filed another petition requesting court intervention.
In its latest ruling, the court noted that the petition demanded further investigation based on new evidence. However, it pointed out that the Kathmandu District Court had already issued an order on 2082/12/16, indicating that the legal process related to the Mahesh Basnet rape case was ongoing.
The bench concluded that issuing a mandamus order was unnecessary, as there were no legal grounds for intervention at this stage. The petition was therefore dismissed.
