Pokhara, August 22
Anuj Nakarmi, a former secretary and key figure in the Surya Darshan Cooperative fraud case, has been remanded to jail by the Kaski District Court. Nakarmi was arrested on August 18 from Dakshinkali, Kathmandu, and was ordered into custody pending trial by Judge Hari Prasad Koirala.
Nakarmi, 48, was presented before the Kaski District Court on Sunday. He is one of the primary suspects in the case involving the Surya Darshan Cooperative, which is accused of defrauding depositors of Rs 1.35 billion under the leadership of Gitendra Babu (GB) Rai. However, the government attorney’s office has filed a case seeking Rs 1.11 billion in restitution for the victims, along with 8 to 10 years of imprisonment for those involved.
Initially, 19 individuals were charged in the fraud case, but the number of accused has now increased to 44. Among those currently detained are the cooperative’s Vice President Kailash Darlami, Treasurer Kumar Ramtel, former director Shiv Bahadur Gurung (Mahendra Bhote), former director Pramod Bhattarai, and Bhavishwar Aryal.
The case has seen significant legal developments. After the initial report on the Surya Darshan Cooperative fraud was submitted to the police, some of the accused, including Vice President Kailash Kumar Darlami and former director Shiv Bahadur Gurung (Mahendra Bhote), appealed to the High Court against their detention. The High Court upheld the Kaski District Court’s decision to keep them in custody. The accused have now escalated the matter to the Supreme Court.
The Surya Darshan Cooperative scandal first came to light in October 2023 when 1,037 victims filed complaints after the disappearance of former President Gitendra Babu Rai (GB) and other key individuals involved in the cooperative. The police initially issued arrest warrants against 19 people.
Following allegations that the initial investigation report lacked detailed information, a supplementary complaint was filed against various individuals and organisations, including former Home Minister Lamichhane. In response, a team from Kathmandu, including two members of the Central Investigation Bureau (CIB), conducted a more thorough investigation.
On May 8, the investigation team submitted a comprehensive report to Mayor Dhanraj Acharya of Pokhara Metropolitan City, who then handed over the 3,419-page report to the Kaski District Police Office. Despite the submission of this detailed report, depositors have expressed concerns that the police have not advanced the investigation.
The Surya Darshan Cooperative fraud case remains a high-profile legal battle, with many still awaiting justice and the recovery of their lost funds.
