KATHMANDU, DECEMBER 17

Kaski Police has submitted an investigation report with the District Government Attorney's Office against Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) President Rabi Lamichhane in a case involving cooperative fraud, organised crime, and money laundering.

According to spokesperson of Kaski Police Basant Kumar Sharma, the police have recommended charging 51 people, including Lamichhane, former deputy inspector general of police Chhabi Lal Joshi, Ram Prasad Khanal, and Lila Pachhai, with cooperative savings embezzlement, organised crime, and money laundering.

'We submitted our investigation report, as well as supporting documents from various agencies, to the Government Attorney's Office,' he said.

'We filed charges seeking punishment for cooperative fraud, organised crime, and money laundering.'

Kamala Kafle, Chief of the District Attorney's Office and Attorney General, confirmed that the investigation report was submitted by the police.

'They have presented a report. There are numerous files. We will need some time to study it,' she said.

Lamichhane has been in police custody for nearly 60 days after being arrested in Kathmandu and taken to Pokhara, Kaski.

On Thursday, the Kaski District Court extended the detention period for the seventh time for further investigation.

Kafle stated that they have four days from Tuesday to review the report and make a decision on the case.

She stated that no one can be detained for more than 90 days, and that the case must be filed by Friday.

A legal provision in the ongoing investigation requires that a case against Lamichhane and the other accused be filed within 90 days of the investigation's completion. The 90-day period is said to end on Saturday.

The police submitted the investigation report before the extended investigation period for the case in custody expired.

However, officials have stated that former Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister Lamichhane term will be extended until a case against him is filed.

There was a legal provision that would calculate the period of investigation and detention for Lamichhane's case beginning on September 22 with the arrest of Chhabilal Joshi, another Gorkha Media director who was being investigated for the same offence.

Police investigated the defendants in response to a supplementary complaint filed on February 5. Former DIG Joshi and Pachhai were arrested on September 22 and 25, respectively.

Lamichhane was arrested at the party office in Kathmandu on October 18 and transported to Pokhara the same day. Similarly, Khanal was detained on October 25. In addition, all four are being investigated in Chitwan, Rupandehi, Parsa, and Kathmandu.

According to the parliamentary probe committee's report, funds taken from the cooperative were used for television work while Lamichhane served as the responsible executive.

Chapter 18 of the report mentions Lamichhane and states to take legal action against Lamichhane.

The committee's report stated that money from five out of seven cooperatives, including Gitendra Babu (GB) Rai, was illegally brought into Gorkha Media, the company that operates Galaxy Television, to which Lamichhane was previously affiliated.

'The company's directors or shareholders bear primary responsibility in such an organisation. The characters in the roles and responsibilities of shareholders, board members, and managing directors should not ignore their responsibility and liability for the funds received by the company,' reads the report.

'After the money of the cooperative's savers was irregularly transferred to Gorkha Media's account, it was discovered that they were involved in the process of spending the money and making it available to the company while the directors GB Rai and member Kumar Ramtel, as well as the then-managing director Rabi Lamichhane and director Chabilal Joshi, were partners in the company. It has been recommended to the government to take action in accordance with the prevailing law because it is liable for the amount.'