Biranjan Yadav, 21, lived with his sister and brother-in-law in Ghattekulo, Kathmandu. A bright student, he was studying BBA on a scholarship at Saraswati Campus. However, his life changed drastically on Bhadra 23, 2076, when he was arrested by police from the Women’s Cell, Kalimati, in a rape case.
Despite being innocent, Biranjan spent 5 years and 8 months in prison. He was finally acquitted by a joint bench of Supreme Court Justices Til Prasad Shrestha and Bal Krishna Dhakal and released from Ramechhap Prison on Jestha 2, 2082.
A teenage girl, who lived below his flat and studied in grade 9, had accused him of rape. She claimed the incident took place on Shrawan 25, 2076, in Ghattekulo after meeting him in Maitidevi. She reported it to the police about a month later.
The case went through the Kathmandu District Court, Patan High Court, and the Supreme Court. The District Court sentenced him to 12 years, which was later reduced to 7 years by the High Court.
However, key facts were ignored: the girl had lied about her name and age. The court later found she was actually over 18 at the time. Her birth certificate and educational records did not match. The defense also argued the timeline of the incident was implausible.
Dr. Gajendra Aryal and Ram Ghimire, who defended Biranjan, argued the case was based on false information and poor investigation. Dr. Aryal even represented him for free due to the family’s poor financial condition.
The Supreme Court acquitted Biranjan after confirming discrepancies in the victim’s documents. He now faces another battle — to be reinstated in his hometown, Birgunj, Ward No. 18 — as he tries to rebuild his life.
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