KATHMANDU: The government attorneys are scheduled to present their counterarguments in the Suryadarshan Cooperative embezzlement case today at the Kaski District Court.
The case involves Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) Chair and former Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister Rabi Lamichhane, along with six other co-defendants.
On Wednesday, the legal representatives of the defendants completed their arguments, after which the plaintiff’s lawyers began their responses.
The hearing is being conducted under the bench of Judge Nitij Rai, who has presided over the case since December 31, 2024.
The court is expected to deliver its verdict today on whether the defendants, including Lamichhane, will remain in custody for further investigation or released pending trial.
The charges against Lamichhane and 43 others, filed by the Kaski District Government Attorney’s Office on December 22, accuse them of embezzling funds from the Suryadarshan Cooperative. Lamichhane is facing charges of cooperative fraud, organized crime, and money laundering.
Other co-defendants include former DIG Chhabilal Joshi, Leela Pachhai, former British Army personnel Krishna Bahadur Gurung, and Ram Bahadur Khanal. So far, cases have been filed against 63 individuals in connection with the cooperative’s financial mismanagement.
The charges allege systematic embezzlement of funds from the cooperative’s members, with claims that the misappropriations were carried out through organized efforts.
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