KATHMANDU: The petition filed by Rastriya Swatantra Party President Rabi Lamichhane, who is accused in the Supreme Cooperative fraud case, is being heard by the Supreme Court (SC) bench of Justice Tek Prasad Dhungana.
The petition challenges the order issued by the Butwal bench of the Tulsipur High Court on April 4.
The petition, registered on Lamichhane’s behalf on Friday, was presented for a preliminary hearing today. If the hearing proceeds, the Supreme Court may call for additional documents or an explanatory report from the lower court.
Lamichhane was arrested on April 4 following the High Court’s directive, which overturned a previous District Court decision and ordered his detention.
He was apprehended by police from his residence in Budhanilkantha, Kathmandu, shortly after the ruling and flown to Butwal the following day. On April 7, the District Court issued a formal detention order, sending him to jail.
Previously, on January 26, the Rupandehi District Court had released Lamichhane on a bail of Rs 10 million. However, co-accused Chhabilal Banjade was remanded in custody pending trial.
Lamichhane, along with Chhabi and GB Rai, is among 42 individuals named as defendants in the case involving Supreme Cooperative. They are accused of defrauding the cooperative of over Rs 550 million.
The charge sheet alleges that Lamichhane, Banjade, and Rai established Gorkha Media Pvt. Ltd. and illicitly mobilized Rs 109.936 million through the company. GB Rai is currently absconding.
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