KATHMANDU, DECEMBER 26 Newly-appointed Home Minister Rabi Lamichhane said he would bring to book the culprit behind the rape and murder of 13-year-old Nirmala Panta.

Nirmala, who was raped and murdered on 26 July 2018 in Kanchanpur has remained in headlines as two former home ministers Ram Bahadur Thapa and Bal Krishna Khand had also pledged to solve the case. However, the culprit in the case remains at large.

Lamichhane has asked Home Secretary Binod Singh to create a separate file of the case and keep him updated. Lamichhane said he decided to join the government because an understanding was reached among the ruling alliance partners to form a commission or mechanism to investigate corruption in the country.