Nepal Police Headquarters on Tuesday summoned two officers from Durbarmarg station to probe their refusal to file complaint of a 22-year-old woman raped by four men in a hotel last Thursday night.

The police officers did not register the woman’s complaint, instead they told her to settle the issue with the perpetrators of the crime.

The HQ called Deputy Superintendent of Police Tilak Bharati and Inspector Laxman Singh Thakuri of Metropolitan Police Circle, Durbar Marg, for the probe after they denied investigating the rape case. Inspector Thakuri told the victim to settle the issue with the perpetrators, according to reports.

Spokesperson for Nepal Police Deputy Inspector General Manoj Neupane said, “We are really concerned about the incident. A thorough investigation is being carried out.”

Police have formed a committee led by Superintendent of Police Ram Dutta Joshi of Metropolitan Police Range, Teku, to investigate into the issue. Joshi refused to comment saying that he will not speak on the matter under investigation.

Police arrested one of the rapists on January 26, but set him free the next day for reasons unknown. A source at the Maharajung Police Station said they had arrested one person in connection with the case who was handed over to Durbarmarg Police Station on Saturday.

“We later came to know the person was set free the next day. We were shocked,” said the source, requesting anonymity as he is not authorised to speak to the media.

According to the police officers involved in the investigation, the woman said she was partying with one of her friends till late night when they decided to stay over in a hotel in Durbarmarg. Later, three men visited the hotel room and raped her repeatedly.

On Friday morning the rapists called for a taxi to take her home. Once inside the taxi, she had requested the driver to take her to police station where she was denied filing the complaint. One of perpetrators, believed to come from an influential family, is reportedly using his political clout to close the case.