POKHARA, Dec 16: The police have submitted the report on the investigation against Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) Chairman Rabi Lamichhane to the District Government Attorney's Office (DGAO), Kaski, but the District Police Office (DPO), Kaski is preparing to request an extension of the remand for four more days.
Spokesperson of the DPO, Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Basanta Sharma informed Republica there are still four more days remaining from the maximum 60 days of remand for Lamichhane and the police will be requesting an extension of remand to reach the maximum number of days under the remand.
“We will be looking to exhaust the maximum number of days under remand for Lamichhane so that the DGAO gets ample time to prepare the case according to the report submitted on Monday,” DSP Sharma said. A source from the DGAO, confirmed that the remand extension request will be made for a few more days, as the prosecution is still preparing the case on the basis of the police report.
RSP Chairman Lamichhane presented in Kaski District Court for r...
Before the last five-day remand extension expired, the police on Monday submitted the investigation report against Lila Pachai, who was arrested for embezzling cooperative funds, along with Rabi Lamichhane, former DIG of Police Chhabilal Joshi, and the director of Nature Herbs International Pvt Ltd, Ram Bahadur Khanal, to the DGAO. In the cooperative fraud case, police have recommended the charges of money laundering and organized crime against former Home Minister Lamichhane through their report.
There is a provision to detain individuals arrested for cooperative fraud for 25 days for investigation. Similarly, for organized crime, detention for 60 days, and for money laundering, under the Asset (Money) Laundering Prevention Act, detention for 90 days for investigation is allowed.
In the cooperative fraud case, former DIG Joshi was arrested from Kathmandu on September 22 and brought to Pokhara. In the same cooperative fraud case, former Deputy Prime Minister Lamichhane was brought to Pokhara on October 18. Since it is the same case, both were kept in custody and the investigation was initiated accordingly.
The report of the parliamentary committee led by Member of Parliament Surya Thapa had recommended action against Rabi Lamichhane for his involvement in misappropriating funds from various cooperatives, including Surydarshan in Pokhara, Supreme Savings and Credit Cooperative in Butwal, Swarnalaxmi Cooperative in Kathmandu, Sahara Chitwan Multi-purpose Cooperative, Sano Paila Savings and Credit Cooperative in Birgunj, and Samanta Cooperative in Nepalgunj, which were transferred to Gorkha Media. Lamichhane’s statement has been recorded in all these locations.
According to the parliamentary committee's report, Rs 55.89 million was transferred from Suryadarshan Cooperative to Gorkha Media. The report also states that Rs 650 million, directly from cooperatives across the country led by GB Rai, was funneled into Gorkha Media Network.
The committee recommended action against GB Rai, Rabi Lamichhane, Chhabilal Joshi, and Kumar Ramtel, citing embezzlement through Gorkha Media Network. Among them, GB Rai is absconding, while investigations are ongoing against Rabi Lamichhane and Chhabilal Joshi. Kumar Ramtel, the treasurer of Suryadarshan Cooperative, which witnessed nearly Rs 1.5 billion in embezzlement, remains in custody at Kaski prison for trial.
