KATHMANDU: After being released on bail from the Kathmandu District Court on Tuesday by depositing Rs 6 million, Rastriya Swatantra Party Chair Rabi Lamichhane is set to face another case in Rupandehi District Court.
The Rupandehi District Government Attorney’s Office is preparing to file a case against the former Home Minister Lamichhane and his associate, Chhabilal Joshi, a former director of Gorkha Media.
The case pertains to the embezzlement of savings from the Butwal-based Supreme Savings and Credit Cooperative. On Friday, the office plans to file supplementary charges against Lamichhane and other defendants.
On Thursday alone, additional charges were filed against 17 individuals, including Gitendra Babu Rai (GB), a Gorkha Media partner and a Supreme Cooperative director.
The new charges include organized crime. Previously, charges had already been filed against 28 individuals, with allegations of embezzling cooperative funds.
The government attorney’s office has added supplementary charges, including financial misconduct and damages, against those already charged.
The case alleges that Lamichhane and Joshi were involved in cooperative fraud and organized crime.
Specifically, it is claimed that Rs 861.8 million of savings belonging to 1,828 depositors were misappropriated with the involvement of the 28 accused. Funds were allegedly misused under various names.
According to the Rupandehi District Government Attorney’s Office, Lamichhane himself is implicated in withdrawing Rs 20 million from Supreme Cooperative.
The names of board members and other companies involved in the financial misuse are included in the charges, with Lamichhane’s name mentioned.
A parliamentary investigation had earlier confirmed Lamichhane’s involvement in Gorkha Media Network Pvt. Ltd. and its financial irregularities.
He was found to hold 180,000 shares in the company, valued at Rs 18 million. Documents show that the shares were registered under his name on December 22, 2021.
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