KATHMANDU: A case has been filed against Rabi Lamichhane, chair of the Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) and former Home Minister, along with 39 others, in connection with allegations of embezzlement at the Swarnalakshmi Cooperative in Kalimati, Kathmandu.
The case, registered at the Kathmandu District Court on Sunday, accuses the defendants of misappropriating savings funds, with a claim of over 2.41 billion rupees in damages.
Senior Public Prosecutor Ram Hari Sharma Kafle confirmed the case’s registration, stating that the claims against Lamichhane and Gitendra Babu Rai (GB), director of Gorkha Media, alone amount to over 50.8 million rupees.
Earlier, the Kathmandu District Police Office had submitted an investigation report to the Public Prosecutor’s Office on December 18, recommending charges against 44 individuals.
However, the district government attorney’s office has filed charges against 39 individuals.
Lamichhane has been in police custody in Kaski since October 18 concerning another cooperative fraud case involving the Suryadarshan Cooperative in Pokhara.
Meanwhile, accusations of fund embezzlement at Swarnalakshmi Cooperative were also filed against him, leading to further investigations.
In the Swarnalakshmi case, five suspects, including Lamichhane, Gitendra Babu Rai, and former DIG of Nepal Police Chhabilal Joshi, are currently in custody in Kaski. Additionally, Kumar Ramtel, the cooperative’s treasurer, is serving a prison sentence.
A detention hearing is ongoing at the Kaski District Court regarding Lamichhane and other suspects.
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