KATHMANDU, Oct 24: The Kaski District Court on Thursday granted the police the permission to detain chairman of Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP), Rabi Lamichhane, for an additional seven days for investigation. Laimchhane was arrested on the charge of embezzlement of co-operative funds.
On Thursday, Judge Chandrakant Paudel's bench extended Lamichhane’s judicial custody by seven days for investigation into the charges against him.
Lamichhane, along with DIG Chhabilal Joshi, was presented to the Kaski District Court today in connection with the embezzlement of the funds of Suryadarshan Cooperative in Pokhara.
Court extends Durga Prasai’s judicial remand by four days
Lamichhane was initially arrested from the Banasthali-based RSP Central Office on October 18. Similarly, the Kaski District Court had previously granted police the permission to detain Lamichhane for six days to investigate his role in the embezzlement of cooperative funds on October 20. He was presented to the court again today after the expiration of his judicial custody period.
Before he was presented to court, a large number of RSP activists had gathered at Sahid Chowk in Pokhara, while cooperative victims had assembled at Rastra Bank Chowk.
Along with this, it is almost certain that RSP Chairman Lamichhane will spend his Tihar holidays in judicial custody.
The latest extension of Lamichhane’s judicial custody by seven days will be calculated from Thursday (October 24). Accordingly, Lamichhane will be in police custody till 12 midnight on October 30. After the permission given by the court expires, the police must present Lamichhane to the court on the next office opening day.
This year, the Tihar holidays start from October 31 and will last till the 4th of November. This means that the police will present Lamichhane to the court only on the 5th of November when the court will decide whether to extend his judicial custody for investigation or release him on bail.
