Kaini was arrested on the charge of stealing goods worth Rs 20,000 from the shop of Sriram Bhatta here. Kaini admitted to stealing only one packet of noodles. The DAO ordered him to pay a fine of Rs 10,000. But Kaini expressed his inability to pay the fine because of his poor economic background, after which the DAO gave him six months jail.
“There is no one at home. How can I pay the fine?” lamented Kaini, who lives with his maternal uncle for the past four years.
The country´s laws prohibits prison sentence on minors. Chief District Officer Rajendra Prasad Ghimire overlooked this legal provision in imprisoning Kaini.
Ghimire said action has been taken against Kaini under the Public Offense Act.
“He was imprisoned after consulting with the government attorney,” Ghimire said. “The law might prohibit imprisonment of minors, but it does not say that they can walk free either,” he added.
According to Ghimire, Bhatta has complained to police that Kaini stole goods worth Rs 20,000 from his shop. The DAO said it was forced to jail the boy after no one showed up to answer repeated orders issued by it to pay Rs 10,000 fine.
“He was sent to us on charges of Public Offense and theft,” said Bimala Panta, chief of Dadeldhura prison. She added that she has no idea how long she is supposed to keep the boy in prison. Of 30 inmates in Dadeldhura prison, two are minors.
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