The Kaski District Court on Tuesday, December 17, granted police permission to detain Rabi Lamichhane, Chairman of the Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP), for an additional four days.
The extension follows a report submitted by Kaski police to the District Government Attorney’s Office on Monday, recommending that a case be filed against Lamichhane and 50 others for alleged embezzlement of funds from the Suryadarshan Cooperative in Kaski.
According to the report, an estimated Rs 1.514 billion needs to be recovered from the accused. Police have proposed charges against Lamichhane and his associates, including GB Rai, Chhabi Lal Joshi, and Kumar Ramtel, for organized crime and related offences. The report also states that 37 of the 51 suspects remain at large.
Lamichhane was presented before the court on Tuesday, where Justice Himalal Belbase’s bench approved the detention extension.
Read: Recovery of Funds from Cooperatives Unlikely as their Liabilities Exceed Assets
Arrested on October 18 from his party office in Banasthali, Kathmandu, Lamichhane faces allegations of cooperative fund misuse, money laundering, and involvement in organized crime.
This is the seventh extension of Lamichhane's custody. The initial six-day detention, ordered on October 18, has been repeatedly extended: by seven days on October 24, 10 days on November 5, 13 days on November 10, 15 days on November 24, four days on December 8, and five days on December 12.
Under current regulations, detention for money laundering investigations can be extended for up to 90 days.
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