KATHMANDU, Feb 2: Cricketer Sandeep Lamichhane, who served a jail term for 99 days on the charge of raping a minor girl, has joined the closed training session of the National Cricket Team from Thursday.

The Cricket Association of Nepal (CAN) called Lamichhane, whose case is still subjudice in the court, to join the closed training session. A total of 20 cricketers including Lamichhane were called for the training session.

This comes in the wake of a petition filed at the Supreme Court on Thursday with the demand that the order of the Patan High Court to release Lamichhane be changed, and he be sent back to police custody.

The petition filed by the Deputy Attorney General on behalf of the Government of Nepal states that the case against Lamichhane should be moved forward by keeping him in police custody. Earlier, the Patan High Court had issued an order to release rape-accused Lamichhane on a bail amount of Rs 2 million with some conditions. The petition argues that Lamichhane may destroy the evidence against him if he is kept free.

The Patan High Court released him on a bail of Rs 2 million on January 13. Responding to his demand to take part in cricket tournaments, a central committee meeting of CAN held in Pokhara on January 31 had decided to lift the suspension on him.

CAN officials said that Lamichhane is likely to play the tri-nation series to be held at the TU Cricket Ground in Kirtipur on February 14 under World Cricket League 2. The High Court has restricted him to travel outside the Kathmandu Valley until his case is finalized.