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🇳🇵 Nepal /Crime & Justice

Nepal court drops organized crime, money laundering charges against RSP chair Lamichhane

From Kathmandu Post · () English

Translated from English, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources Context piece
  • The Kaski District Court in Nepal has dropped organized crime and money laundering charges against Rabi Lamichhane, chairman of the Rastriya Swatantra Party, and others in a cooperative fraud case.
  • The court ordered the amendment of the charge-sheet to only include cooperative fraud charges against Lamichhane and nearly 50 other defendants.
  • This decision follows a request from the district government attorney's office and a previous directive from the Office of the Attorney General, though the process faced a temporary halt due to a Supreme Court petition.

The Kaski District Court's decision to drop organized crime and money laundering charges against Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) chair Rabi Lamichhane and others in the Suryadarshan Cooperative fraud case marks a significant turn of events. While the court has allowed cooperative fraud charges to remain, the removal of more serious allegations like organized crime and money laundering is a major relief for Lamichhane and his supporters.

The Kaski District Court has scrapped organised crime and money laundering charges filed against Rastriya Swatantra Party chair Rabi Lamichhane, fugitive Gitendra Babu (GB) Rai and former deputy inspector general Chhabilal Joshi in the Suryadarshan Cooperative fraud case.

— Kathmandu PostReporting on the court's decision.

The legal journey has been complex, involving amendments to charge-sheets and challenges in various courts. The Office of the Attorney General's directive to amend the charges, initially approved, was later halted by a Supreme Court petition. However, the Pokhara High Court's ruling that the Kaski District Court should hear the matter paved the way for Friday's decision.

From a Nepali perspective, this case has been closely watched, given Lamichhane's prominence as a political figure and media personality. The court's reasoning, citing the original complaint's lack of organized crime allegations and the potential obstruction of settlements and savings recovery, offers a legal basis for the amendment. The court's observation that the move reflects sensitivity towards the rights of both victims and defendants aims to balance justice with practical considerations.

A bench of judge Himalal Belbase ordered the amendment to the charge-sheet, allowing only cooperatives fraud charges to remain against Lamichhane and nearly 50 other defendants.

— Kathmandu PostDetailing the court's specific order.

This development is crucial for the RSP and its leader as they navigate the political landscape. The focus now shifts back to the cooperative fraud charges, which will continue to be heard. The nuanced legal process underscores the complexities of the justice system in Nepal, particularly when high-profile individuals are involved.

With the order, claims related to organised crime and money laundering have now been removed from the case in Kaski, while the cooperatives fraud charges remain intact.

— Kathmandu PostExplaining the immediate impact of the court's ruling.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Kathmandu Post in English. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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