KATHMANDU, JANUARY 12
Former deputy prime minister and home minister and president of the Rastriya Swatantra Party, Rabi Lamichhane, who was recently released on bail for a hefty amount of Rs 6.5 million after staying in custody for 84 days, has again been sent to judicial custody by Kathmandu District Court (KDC).
KDC recorded a statement from Lamichhane today in a case related to the misappropriation of cooperative funds and sent him to custody for further investigation.
Ramu Sharma, the registrar at the Kathmandu District Court, stated, "The statement of Lamichhane was recorded over the issue of funds embezzlement in Swarnalaxmi Cooperatives of Kathmandu and has been sent to custody because the hearing has not concluded."
A bench of Kathmandu District Court Judge Madhav Prasad Adhikari issued an order keeping Lamichhane in judicial custody.
Lamichhane, who was released from custody last Thursday after the Kaski District Court ordered him to be remanded on Rs 6.5 million bail, had appeared in Kathmandu District Court on Sunday.
Lamichhane is still facing charges in Kaski for organised crime and money laundering, as well as the misuse of savings from the Pokhara-based Surya Darshan Cooperative.
The Kaski District Court ordered him to be remanded in custody for a regular trial, noting that 'there is no reasonable basis to believe that the defendant is no longer guilty'.
Meanwhile, in Kathmandu, he has been charged with embezzling Swarnalakshmi Cooperative savings and organised crime.
Last week, the government attorney's office filed a case against 39 people, including Lamichhane, alleging that they embezzled the Swarnalakshmi Cooperative's savings and defrauded depositors, and that the act was carried out in an organised manner.
Furthermore, investigations into Lamichhane were launched in several districts after a parliamentary special committee established to investigate cooperative problems recommended action against him.
According to officials, investigations into cooperative fraud and organised crime against Lamichhane are currently underway in Rupandehi, Chitwan, and Parsa, as well as Kaski and Kathmandu.
Legal experts have stated that even if Lamichhane is released from custody in Kaski, other district courts may order his detention. Lamichhane has been charged with misappropriation of funds from Butwal's Supreme Cooperative, Parsa's Sano Paila Cooperative, and Chitwan's Sahara Cooperative.
