Kathmandu, December 22
Former Home Minister and Chairperson of the Rastriya Swatantra Party, Rabi Lamichhane, has been charged with cooperative fraud in the District Court of Kaski.
The Kaski District Attorney’s Office has filed a case against Lamichhane and four others, accusing them of organised cooperative fraud and laundering money obtained through illicit means.
The allegations center on the embezzlement of funds from Surya Darshan Cooperative in Pokhara, with claims that part of the misappropriated amount was invested in Gorkha Media Pvt. Ltd.
Additional charges filed
This case follows supplementary charges filed last Friday against Gorkha Media Chairman GB Rai and 19 others for their alleged involvement in the same incident. The original case against Rai’s group was registered on October 5, 2023.
According to Kaski District Cooperative Attorney Kamala Kafle, the accused are facing claims of approximately Rs 1.51 billion in damages. The prosecution alleges that the group orchestrated a systematic plan to defraud the cooperative, leading to charges of organised crime and property laundering.
Key accusations against Lamichhane
The investigation revealed that checks issued in connection with the misappropriated funds were linked to Lamichhane. While Lamichhane denies any personal or institutional involvement in borrowing or mismanaging the cooperative’s funds, police claim to have evidence of checks issued under the Surya Darshan Cooperative’s name.
Although the damages claimed amount to Rs 1.51 billion, not all of it is directly attributed to Lamichhane. His alleged involvement is limited to funds connected to his name and investments in Gorkha Media.
Past and current developments
The initial fraud case against the Surya Darshan Cooperative was filed on October 5, 2023, implicating several high-profile individuals, including Vice-Chairperson Kailash Darlami, Treasurer Kumar Ramtel, and former directors Shiva Bahadur Gurung (Mahendra Bhote), Pramod Bhattarai, Anuj Nakarmi, and Bhavishwar Aryal.
The total damages claimed in the earlier case amounted to approximately Rs 1.11 billion. These individuals were accused of organised crime and laundering embezzled funds.
Investigation and next steps
The investigation was primarily based on reports from the Pokhara Metropolitan City and findings from a parliamentary special committee. Despite Lamichhane’s assertion of non-involvement, evidence presented by the police includes checks linked to the cooperative.
With the latest charges, the District Court will hear the case and record statements from the accused. The legal process will determine the extent of Lamichhane’s and others’ involvement in the alleged cooperative fraud and money laundering.
