KATHMANDU: The immediate withdrawal of two serious cases filed against Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) Chair Rabi Lamichhane appears unlikely.
A single bench of Judge Nitij Rai at the Kaski District Court on Monday ordered that the two cases against Lamichhane cannot be withdrawn until a final verdict is issued by the Supreme Court on a related writ petition currently under consideration.
Acting on the directive of the interim government led by Sushila Karki, Attorney General Sabita Bhandari had initiated the process to withdraw two serious charges against Lamichhane—organized crime and money laundering.
The District Government Attorney’s Office, Kaski, had filed a petition at the district court challenging that decision. The cases are linked to the alleged cooperative fraud involving Suryadarshan Cooperative in Pokhara, where Lamichhane faces charges of cooperative fraud, organized crime, and money laundering.
During the hearing, Judge Rai ruled that since a writ petition challenging the Attorney General’s decision is under consideration at the Supreme Court of Nepal, the two cases cannot be withdrawn until the apex court delivers its final decision.
Court official Gurudev Acharya of Kaski District Court said further orders regarding the withdrawal of the cases will be issued only after the Supreme Court’s verdict.
Earlier, the Rupandehi District Court had also stated that the government’s decision to withdraw the cases could not be implemented immediately and that it would await the Supreme Court’s ruling.
Attorney General Bhandari had decided on Poush 30 to withdraw the organized crime and money laundering cases against Lamichhane and his associates, including GB Rai and former DIG Chhabilal Joshi. While the cooperative fraud case remains intact, it would not directly affect Lamichhane’s election campaign. However, if the organized crime and money laundering charges are not withdrawn, Lamichhane would be barred from serving as a Member of Parliament even if he wins from Chitwan-2.
Cases related to cooperative fraud, organized crime, and money laundering against Lamichhane and his associates at Gorkha Media are currently under consideration at district courts in Rupandehi, Kaski, Kathmandu, Parsa, and Chitwan.
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