KATHMANDU, Sept 10: The parliamentary special committee formed to investigate the misuse of cooperative funds is preparing to submit its report to the House of Representatives on September 20. The committee's tenure lasts until September 22. If the parliamentary session ends before the tenure, the committee will submit the report to Speaker Devraj Ghimire. Since there is no business, there is a possibility that the parliamentary session will end after September 11.
A member of the committee said, "The work is being done with the aim of submitting the report while the parliamentary session is still ongoing. We are preparing to submit the report by September 20, if possible." According to sources, the report is being prepared to also implicate former Home Minister Rabi Lamichhane in the cooperative fraud case. However, the committee member mentioned that no decision has been made on this matter yet. "If he is accused without evidence, Lamichhane could go to court. He can only be accused based on solid evidence," the member said.
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On August 23, the committee took a nine-hour statement from Rabi Lamichhane. The statement was taken in his capacity as the then managing director of Gorkha Media Network Pvt Ltd, through which the cooperative funds had been channeled. On September 3, the House of Representatives extended the committee's term by 15 days. The committee had requested an additional 15 days due to insufficient time.
On May 28, the House of Representatives formed a seven-member parliamentary special committee to investigate the misuse of cooperative funds. Initially, the committee was instructed to submit its report within three months from the start date. The committee began its work on June 5.