Suryadarshan Cooperative: Lamichhane asserts no involvement as shareholder or borrower

Kathmandu, October 23 — Rabi Lamichhane, former Home Minister and president of the Rashtriya Swatantra Party (RSP), has denied allegations of taking loans from the Suryadarshan Cooperative, which he has been accused of mismanaging. He provided statements to the investigation officers and government attorney at the Kaski District Police Office on Monday and Tuesday.

In his statements, Lamichhane also refuted the claim that funds issued in his name were deposited into the account of Gorkha Media Network Pvt. Ltd. Over the course of two days, he asserted, “I am not the person related to the loan issued in the name of Rabi Lamichhane.”

Stating that he is neither a shareholder nor a borrower of the Suryadarshan Cooperative operating in Pokhara Metropolitan City, Ward No. 5, Lamichhane emphasized, “I was not on the management committee, audit committee, loan committee, or in any other position of that cooperative.”

He clarified that he has not opened a savings or loan account with Suryadarshan. According to one of the officials involved in the investigation, Lamichhane stated, “I have not taken any loan from that cooperative.”

Lamichhane expressed his ignorance regarding any loans issued in his name, stating, “I am not aware of any loan being issued in my name.”

He mentioned that he attended the Galaxy 4K TV program "Sidha Kura Janata Sanga" — roughly translated as “Direct Talk with the Public”— at the request of Giteindra Babu (GB) Rai, who runs Gorkha Media Network Pvt. Ltd.

Lamichhane noted that he holds shares worth 18 million rupees in Gorkha Media, explaining, “I went to Gorkha Media under the condition of receiving shares worth 18 million and having the remuneration deducted from those shares.”

GB Rai is the founding chairman of Suryadarshan Cooperative. A parliamentary investigation committee led by Surya Thapa concluded that 654 million rupees had been illegally transferred to Gorkha Media Network from five cooperatives, including Suryadarshan. Lamichhane was a director at Gorkha Media.

Lamichhane reiterated that the accounts opened at Suryadarshan do not belong to him and indicated that financial transactions at Gorkha Media were managed solely by Giteindra Babu. He stated, “I did not receive any funds upon leaving the company; I am not involved in taking loans, embezzling, or mismanaging funds from the cooperative.”

Lamichhane was arrested from Banasthali on October 18. The police are also investigating former DIG Chhabilal Joshi, who has been arrested in connection with the alleged misappropriation of funds from Surya Darshan.

The police detained RSP president Rabi Lamichhane six days ago in relation to the implementation of the parliamentary committee's report concerning allegations of embezzlement. Since then, RSP leaders and activists have been staging daily protests in various locations, including Pokhara. It has been reported that Lamichhane has spent funds received from Suryadarshan, Supreme, Sano Paila, and other cooperatives on Gorkha Media, with reports of similar financial dealings coming from places like Pokhara, Butwal, and Birgunj.