KATHMANDU, Jan 9: The Kaski District Court ordered the release of Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) Chairman Rabi Lamichhane on a bail of Rs 6.5 million in connection with the Suryadarshan Cooperative fraud case on Thursday.
Following the conclusion of closing arguments before the single bench of Judge Nitij Rai on Thursday, the court determined the bail amount which Lamichhane paid by Thursday night, setting him free after 84 days of judicial custody.
Two of the other defendants in the case, former DIG of Nepal Police Chhabilal Joshi and Ram Bahadur Khanal, who were set the bail amounts of Rs 8.8 million and Rs 1.5 million, respectively, by the court, too have been set free after they posted the bail amount at the court. Another defendant Lila Pachhai was not set free on Thursday as he failed to pay the bail amount of Rs 3.7 million set for him by the court.
Former home minister Lamichhane will also face a closed hearing at Kathmandu District Court on Friday for his alleged involvement in embezzlement of funds of the Kalimati-based Swarnalaxmi Cooperative. Similarly, he will also face separate cooperative scam cases for his alleged involvement in the embezzlement of funds of the Supreme Cooperative in Butwal, Sahara Cooperative in Chitwan and Sano Paila Cooperative in Parsa.
Lamichhane will not remain in judicial custody for other cooperative fraud cases
Kaski Court orders release of RSP Chair Rabi Lamichhane on Rs 6...
A meeting of high-level officials of the Nepal Police held at the Police Headquarters, Naxal, on Thursday evening has reached the conclusion not to keep Lamichhane in judicial custody for the rest of the cases he will face.
According to sources at the Inspector General of Police’s secretariat, the meeting which was attended by AIGs and DIGs of police concluded to let Lamichhane present himself at the court to face in the remaining four cases.
“We have reached the decision that it would be appropriate to set Lamichhane free on the grounds of his positive conduct during the investigation of the Suryadarshan cooperative scam,” the source told Republica. “We will not keep him in judicial custody on the condition that he presents himself at the court on time for the other cases.”
Court order draws mixed reaction from political parties
The Kaski District Court’s order of releasing the defendants of the Suryadarshan cooperative scam case has drawn mixed reaction from major political parties. While the RSP and the main opposition party leaders lauded the court’s order, leaders belonging to other political parties argued that the court’s order proved that Lamichhane was indeed guilty in misusing the funds of cooperatives.
Top leaders of the RSP are celebrating in joy after their chairman was set free, claiming that the court’s order has highlighted the inappropriateness of keeping Lamichhane in judicial custody for investigation.
"The Kaski District Court has ordered the release of Chairman Lamichhane on a bail of 6.5 million,” Acting General Secretary Kabindra Burlakoti said, “It has been confirmed that there is no justification for the government to forcibly detain him for investigation.”
Leaders of the main opposition party, CPN (Maoist Center), have joined in the joy of the RSP. “The government’s intention to hurt Lamichhane was malicious,” Maoist Center leader Manahari Timilsina said, “Let's hope that orders of the same nature will come from Rupandehi, Parsa, Chitwan and Kathmandu as well, proving the government’s malicious intent.”
However, leaders from the ruling coalition have claimed that the court’s order has not acquitted Lamichhane in the cooperative scam case. NC leader Min Bishwakarma, who is also a legal expert, took to Facebook to claim that they cannot be called innocent.
“The fact that bail is being sought for all the accused and the amount is different should make it clear that the bail of Rs 8.8 million and Rs 6.5 million was not sought because they were innocent,” he wrote, “Just as one cannot be considered guilty immediately after a case is filed, one cannot be considered innocent because one is set free on a bail.”
