Nepal, a nation of rich cultural heritages and stunning landscapes, continues to struggle with a growing concern that remains largely under addressed-the inefficiency of the crime investigations. Outdated investigative tools, shortage of skilled experts are hindering the country's ability to solve crimes efficiently.

The state of Crime Investigations in Nepal:
Despite an increment in the number of criminal cases in recent years, the tools used to investigate remains traditional and outdated.In many cases, the decision of the court relies heavily on witness statements and confessions rather than forensic evidence. This traditional approach can be easily manipulated that can cause innocent ones to suffer and legal cases dragged on for a long time.This has caused the citizens to become fed up with the system and eventually trust has faded away.

Real case highlighting systematic failures:


The recent case of Nepal's cricket Senior team former captain, Sandeep Lamichhane, who was accused of rape case by a 17year old girl in Kathmandu.Following the complaint ,a warrant for his was arrest was issued and Cricket Association of Nepal(CAN) suspended him from all cricketing activities including his Captain. Hence, after nearly 2 years of inspection and multiple court decisions,he was declared innocent in may 2024.The inefficiency of Nepal's investigation made Sandeep go through deep mental pressures and also faced reputational damage worldwide.


Another controversial case , Nirmala Panta,a 13 year old girl from Kachanpur ,Nepal ,was found raped and murdered on July 2018.The initial police response faced severse criticism for negligence and attempts to cover up the crime. Public dissatisfaction led to nationwide protests demanding justice for Nirmala. Despite multiple investigations committees and efforts, including a high level committee formed in December 2024, the case remains unsolved.The Nirmala Panta case continues to be a reminder of the challenges within Nepal's criminal justice system, reflecting the urgent need for the reform and advancement.

So what really is causing problems in crime investigation?
While the political influence in the system is one of the reasons behind it, the outdated technology and traditional method is not to be neglected. Nepal uses outdated technologies like:Ink and paper fingerprinting,that manually compares the fingerprint which is time consuming and less accurate, Basic PCR based DNA Testing, Hand Lens which are to be replaced with the new Advanced technology. Also the new crime investigations system should be formed that shouldn't include anytype of political influence and work neutrally.

The need for reform
Cracking the case in Nepal is as much about solving crimes as it is about addressing the system failures that undermine the process. Modernizing technology and addressing skill shortages are necessities for an effective legal system. Without intermediate action,the gap between crime and justice in Nepal will continue to widen.