Defense Ministry Education Officer Granted Rs 20,000 Bail in Imadol Public Indecency Case
साउन ८, २०८३ १७:८
Kathmandu. Surendra Bhatta, an education officer at the Ministry of Defense, has been released on Rs 20,000 bail after being arrested on charges of an offense against public morality for exposing himself to a woman in Lalitpur.
The Lalitpur District Administration Office ordered the release of the 55-year-old after police completed their preliminary investigation and submitted the case file on Wednesday.
According to Lalitpur Police spokesperson SP Gautam Mishra, Bhatta was released in accordance with the order issued by the Chief District Officer (CDO). The case, however, remains under legal proceedings, and the bail order does not amount to an acquittal.
Bhatta was arrested after a video showing him exposing himself to a woman in Imadol, Lalitpur, went viral on social media, drawing widespread public attention and criticism. The decision to release him on Rs 20,000 bail has since sparked debate over the legal process and the adequacy of the bail amount, particularly given his position as a government official.
According to the complaint, the incident took place at around 6:30 p.m. on 5 July in Imadol, Lalitpur. The complainant, Ritu Khanal, alleged that Bhatt exposed himself while she was walking alone through a narrow alley.
Rather than fleeing, Khanal recorded the incident on her smartphone. The footage, later shared on TikTok, quickly went viral and became a key piece of evidence in the police investigation.
The case remains under consideration at the District Administration Office, which will determine whether Bhatta is guilty of the offense after completing the legal process.
पछिल्लो अध्यावधिक: साउन ८, २०८३ १७:८
