KATHMANDU, Oct 20: Nepali standup comedian Apoorwa Kshitiz Singh could face up to five years in jail for his alleged insensitive and derogatory comments against the Newa community.
The Kathmandu District Attorney Office has filed a charge sheet against Apoorwa seeking up to five-year prison sentence on four different charges, reported Kathmandu Post.
The attorney’s office in the charge sheet on Wednesday demanded a sentence of imprisonment for a term not exceeding one year and a fine not exceeding Rs 10,000 under section 65 (1) and (2), stating that Apoorwa’s performance is prejudicial to harmonious relationship between peoples of different classes, regions or communities of Nepal.
As per the charge sheet prepared by the District Attorney’s Office, Apoorwa has been accused of committing crimes under section 65, 165, 166 and 168 of the National Penal (Code) Act, 2017. Achyut Neupane, chief of the district attorney office in Kathmandu informed that the charge sheet has been filed at the Kathmandu District Court and the office has brought four different charges against the accused which could attract a maximum of five years of imprisonment.
Apoorwa’s act amounts to discriminatory treatment on grounds of caste, is degrading and is inhuman treatment and he undermines social rites and rituals, the charges said. Apoorwa was arrested on August 28, after Kathmandu District Court issued an arrest warrant for his allegedly insensitive and derogatory comments on the Newa community.
He was arrested after multiple complaints were lodged against him accusing him of making derogatory remarks about culture and tradition of the Newa community during his standup comedy show, a part of which was also uploaded on YouTube.
Before his arrest, on August 27, Apoorwa had apologised for his performance through his Facebook page, blaming his lack of research and poor knowledge for his trespass against the Newa community. He has also removed the post from YouTube.
Later, on September 8, the police released him on bail after he got infected with Covid-19. The standup comedian, who was re-arrested on Monday, remained in custody on Wednesday as the district court did not schedule a hearing even as the police and the Kathmandu District Attorney’s Office had said that they presented the investigation report and necessary documents to the court.
(UNI)
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