Himal Press 
POKHARA: Bharat Bahadur Adhikari, the chairperson of Ward-24 of Pokhara Metropolitan City, has been fined Rs 75,000 and sentenced to four and a half months in prison under the Caste-based Discrimination and Untouchability (Offense and Punishment) Act, 2011.
Kaski District Judge Avani Mainali Bhattarai handed the punishment as per Section 7, 1 (A) of the Act. Although the Act has prescribed punishment of up to three months of jail term and a fine of up to Rs 50,000, there is a provision of 50% more punishment for people holding public positions.
Maiya Nepali, a ward member, had filed a complaint against Adhikari for caste-based discrimination and untouchability offenses last year.
In addition to the fine and prison sentence, the court has ordered Adhikari to pay Rs 10,000 in compensation to Nepali.
Adhikari was elected to the post from the Nepali Congress, while four other ward members were elected from the CPN-UML.
