High Court acquits Paul Shah in sexual abuse case

Kathmandu / Feb 26: The High Court of Pokhara has acquitted actor Paul Shah, who is serving a sentence in a case of child sexual abuse.

The joint bench of Judges Dilliraj Acharya and Sridhara Kumari Pudasaini gave the acquittal stating that the prosecution’s claim was not sufficient.

According to Paul Shah’s lawyer Kamala Mohan Wagle, Shah has been cleared of all charges and will be released tomorrow.

Shah was sentenced to two and a half years in prison by District Court Nawalparasi East on the charge of child sexual abuse and ordered to pay a compensation of one million rupees to the victim. Both the government attorney and Paul Shah had filed an appeal at the High Court against the decision.

A case was filed against Paul Shah at the District Court Nawalparasi East and District Court Tanahun on the charge of raping a minor singer. The District Court Nawalparasi acquitted him in the rape case but decided to slap 2.5 years of imprisonment and one million rupees compensation for child sexual abuse.

Earlier, District Court Tanahun had also acquitted him.