Actor Paul Shah released from Tanahun prison

KATHMANDU: Purna Bikram Shah, also known as Paul Shah, was released from Tanahun prison on Monday after being acquitted of child sex abuse charges by the Pokhara High Court.

The Pokhara High Court acquitted him on Sunday, ruling that the prosecution’s claims were insufficient.

On Sept 5, the Nawalpur District Court acquitted Shah of the rape charge but sentenced him to 2 years and 6 months in prison for child sexual abuse, a 25,000 fine, and compensation of one million rupees to the victim.

In the appeal filed by the district attorney and the accused Shah’s side in the High Court against the order given by the District Court Nawalpur, the joint bench of Judge Dilliraj Acharya and Judge Sridharakumari Pudasaini of the High Court on Sunday acquitted the prosecution’s claim.

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Paul Shah raped her, according to a complaint filed at Tanahun police on 23 Feb, 2022, and Nawalpur police on Feb 27.

A 17-year-old minor singer had filed complaints in Feb, 2022 accusing Shah of raping her in Tanahun and Nawalparasi (East) districts.

The 32-year-old actor was taken into custody at the District Police Office in Tanahun on Feb 27, 2022 after the girl filed the complaint.

The victim also filed another case against Shah at the Area Police Office in Gaindakot, Nawalparasi.

According to Nepalese law, the singer is a minor, and she has accused Shah of raping her with a false promise of marriage.

She filed the case in Tanahun days after the controversy erupted, with reports appearing on various online news outlets.

However, the singer later changed her statement. She told the Tanahun district court in April last year that she had not been raped and that the information in her previous complaints was false.