POKHARA: The hearing on the misappropriation of savings from the Suryadarshan Cooperative in Pokhara, which implicates Rabi Lamichhane, Chairperson of the Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP), along with six other defendants, has concluded.
On Wednesday, legal representatives of the cooperative’s victims presented their arguments. On Thursday, government prosecutors completed their rebuttal arguments by 1 pm, according to District Court Kaski Information Officer Suraj Adhikari.
“With the completion of the prosecutors’ rebuttal, all arguments have concluded. A decision regarding pre-trial detention could be issued by tonight,” said Adhikari.
The case has drawn significant public attention, particularly regarding the involvement of Rabi Lamichhane.
His supporters maintain that the charges against him—including cooperative fraud, organized crime, and money laundering—are baseless and unlikely to hold up in court.
The hearings, overseen by Judge Nitij Rai, began on December 31, 2024, and included pre-trial detention arguments for all seven defendants. Following the defendants’ legal counsels’ presentations, the prosecutors delivered their rebuttals.
The allegations involve former Deputy Inspector General (DIG) Chhabi Lal Joshi, Leela Pachhai, Krishna Bahadur Gurung, Ram Bahadur Khanal, Meena Gurung, and Amrita Gurung, who were accused alongside Lamichhane of misusing cooperative funds.
The court will now decide whether to detain the defendants for further investigation or release them pending ongoing inquiries.
On December 22, the District Attorney’s Office filed charges against Lamichhane and 43 others for embezzling funds from the cooperative.
In total, 63 individuals have been charged in connection with the Suryadarshan Cooperative fund fraud case in the Kaski District Court. Of these, 19, including Lamichhane, face additional charges of organized crime.
Furthermore, Ram Bahadur Khanal, former DIG Chhabi Lal Joshi, and Leela Pachaain, identified as an associate of Gitendra Babu Rai, are also charged with money laundering.
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