He has alleged that parties plotting political vendetta in seeking his arrest
KATHMANDU, SEPTEMBER 25
In the aftermath of the cooperative funds misappropriation scandal, Rabi Lamichhane, the chair of the Rastriya Swatantra Party, the fourth largest party in parliament, took to Facebook Live this evening to say he is ready to implement the recommendations made by the parliamentary special investigation committee.
During a Facebook live broadcast from the party office on Tuesday, he stated that the parliamentary committee's investigation report confirmed that there was no evidence of his involvement in cooperative fraud.
He also stated that he is willing to accept responsibility for the 'financial mismanagement' that occurred while he was with Galaxy Television. Similarly, Lamichhane stated that since it was discovered that funds were transferred from the cooperative to other media outlets, they should also be held accountable.
Lamichhane mentioned that the Chair of the Parliamentary Inquiry Committee, Surya Bahadur Thapa, has also stated that he is not guilty. He claimed that even the committee report stated unequivocally that he is not involved in borrowing money from cooperatives and investing them in Gorkha Media Network, deceiving depositors.
"Let us all accept this committee decision," Lamichhane said. "I am also responsible for the committee's legal action regarding the money brought by someone else while I was working for Gorkha Media."
He claimed that the government and certain media outlets had repeatedly attempted to trap and frame Rabi Lamichhane.
Similarly, Lamichhane stated that Congress General Secretary Gagan Thapa should not resign from politics because the report has proven him innocent.
He also expressed concern that, even if he is not arrested immediately, he may be arrested during Dashain's silence in Kathmandu, despite all this evidence to seek political vendetta. "They don't have to wait for Dashain to arrest me. I am always up for it," he said.
Lamichhane stated that in the past, the country's prime minister stood up in parliament to explain his case. He went on to say, "Did not the Prime Minister speak in the House after questioning all of the mechanisms? Even if the ruling and opposition parties change, the truth does not change seats. There is no price for the truth. Injustice cannot be done."
Last week, the parliamentary Special Committee of Inquiry recommended that action be taken against those involved, including Lamichhane, because he was "responsible" for misappropriating funds deposited by ordinary depositors in various cooperatives.
Following the arrest of one of them, Chhabilal Joshi, there is speculation among people that Lamichhane would also be arrested. Joshi is a retired senior officer from the Nepal Police.
However, Nepal Police spokesperson and Deputy Inspector General of Police Dan Bahadur Karki told the Himalayan Times that 'there is no need to make any preparations for arrest if necessary during the investigation.'"
"If there is something that needs to be clarified with him, the matter will proceed," he added.
Another source from the Kaski District Court in Pokhara, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, said no legal stance has been taken to arrest Lamichhane.
