In Kathmandu, Nepal, Rabi Lamichhane, the former Home Minister and leader of the Rastriya Swatantra Party, faces extended legal scrutiny. The Kaski District Court has granted a 15-day extension to his remand as investigations into cooperative fraud, organized crime, and money laundering continue. Judge Himalal Belbase made this decision, affecting Lamichhane and three co-accused: former Deputy Inspector General of Police Chhabilal Joshi, Leela Pachhai, and Ram Bahadur Khanal.
Lamichhane was arrested on October 18 by the Central Investigation Bureau from the RSP's central office in Kathmandu. His detention has now exceeded 40 days. The allegations date back to his time as managing director of the defunct Gorkha Media Network, where he is accused of diverting cooperative funds, including NPR 30 million, into personal accounts.
Further allegations involve financial irregularities during his tenure at Galaxy 4K Television before his political career began in 2022. Government attorneys and victim representatives have argued for the remand extension, citing incomplete document analysis and evidence collection. Lamichhane's legal team, however, disputes the accusations, claiming insufficient proof.
The investigation has expanded beyond Kaski, with Lamichhane being transported to Butwal for inquiries related to the Suryadarsan Cooperative. Additional arrest warrants have been issued in Kathmandu and Chitwan for alleged misconduct involving the Swarnalaxmi and Sahara Cooperatives. The ongoing detention highlights the seriousness of the charges against Lamichhane.
Rabi Lamichhane is a politician from Nepal. He was the former Home Minister and is a leader of the Rastriya Swatantra Party.
Remand means keeping someone in custody, usually in jail, while they are being investigated for a crime.
Fraud is when someone tricks or deceives others to gain something, usually money, unfairly.
Money laundering is hiding where money came from, especially if it was earned illegally, to make it look like it was earned legally.
Kaski District Court is a legal court in the Kaski district of Nepal, where legal cases are heard and decided.
A cooperative is a group of people who work together for a common purpose, often in business, to help each other.
Gorkha Media Network is a media company in Nepal. Rabi Lamichhane was its managing director.
NPR 30 million refers to 30 million Nepalese Rupees, which is the currency of Nepal.
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