Former Lawmaker Laxmi Mahato Convicted by High Court in ASI Thaman BK Murder Case

The High Court Janakpur has overturned a lower court's decision, convicting former parliament member Laxmi Mahato Koiri and suspended Madhesh Province assembly member Abhiram Sharma for the 2015 murder of Assistant Sub-Inspector Thaman BK. The police officer was beaten to death during protests known as the Madhesh Movement. Under the new ruling by Acting Chief Judge Tek Narayan Kunwar and Judge Murari Babu Shrestha, both Koiri and Sharma, along with four others Dharmendra Ray, Ramshankar Mishra, Suresh Pandey, and Pawan Kapar have been sentenced to five years in prison.

This decision marks a significant shift from an earlier ruling by the Mahottari District Court, which had completely cleared Koiri and Kapar of the charges roughly two and a half years ago. In addition to the five year sentences, the High Court handed down lifetime imprisonment to defendants there men involved in the case: Pradip Sah Majhi, Sanjay Kumar Sah, and Mohan Thakur. The District Court had previously given these same three men life sentences, a decision that the High Court has now upheld.