The Kaski District Court on Sunday, October 20, gave police the permission to remand Rabi Lamichhane in custody for six days. The detention period is calculated from the day of his arrest.
Lamichhane, chairman of Rastriya Swatantra Party, was arrested two days ago in Kathmandu by a team from the Central Investigation Bureau (CIB), hours after the Kaski District Court issued an arrest warrant against 14 individuals including him.
He has been arrested on charges of cooperative fraud and organised crime, a month after the parliamentary committee tasked with investigating the misappropriation of public savings in cooperatives recommended legal action against him for his alleged involvement in the misuse of cooperative funds.
According to the committee, while Gitendrababu (GB) Rai, chairman of a cooperative and media outlet, is seen as the mastermind behind transferring cooperative funds to Gorkha Media, Lamichhane also bears responsibility due to his role as managing director of the media company.
The former deputy prime minister and home minister, Lamichhane, was immediately taken to Kaski as the district police office has been investigating the case involving him.
Meanwhile, leaders, lawmakers and supporters of RSP have been protesting his arrest, calling it a politically motivated conspiracy.
Amassed in huge numbers, they chanted slogans against the government while Lamichhane was being taken to the court on Sunday.
Tension erupted at Sahid Chowk in Pokhara in the afternoon after the agitated RSP cadres tried to breach into an area restricted by the Kaski District Administration for protests, reported RSS, the state-owned news agency. 
Police used water cannons to disperse protesters.
Along with Sahid Chowk, the prohibitory order was also issued for Gairapatan area since Sunday morning in view of the schedule to present Lamichhane at the court.
The order would be in place until further notice, Chief District Officer of Kaski Bharat Mani Paudel told RSS.
Lamichhane has claimed to be innocent and said he would cooperate with the judicial process.
(With inputs from RSS)
