Rabi's detention ends; Tihar to be spent behind bars due to public holiday

Kathmandu, October 31 — The detention period for Rabi Lamichhane, the president of the Rashtriya Swatantra Party (RSP), has come to an end today. The Kaski District Court had granted police permission to hold him for an additional seven days for investigation last Thursday.

This means the police were allowed to detain him until October 30 (yesterday). However, since Tihar holidays begin on October 31 (today), the police will not be able to present him in court immediately after the seven-day period ends. As a result, Lamichhane will spend Tihar in custody. Government offices will reopen only on November 4 after the Tihar holiday.

The police will now present Lamichhane in court on November 4. At that time, there will be discussions about whether to extend his detention. The court will decide on the extension, taking the Tihar holidays into account.

Additionally, a writ for habeas corpus can be filed on Lamichhane's behalf during the Tihar holidays. The court will still review habeas corpus petitions during the holiday.

However, in a previous case involving Chhabilal Joshi, the Supreme Court dismissed a habeas corpus writ. The Supreme Court's order stated, “Given the circumstances that the applicant is being held in custody with permission from the Kaski District Court, it cannot be considered that he is unlawfully detained, and thus, the request for a habeas corpus order is denied, and the writ is dismissed.”

45-page statement in nine days

Rabi Lamichhane has completed his statement regarding allegations of misappropriation of funds from Suryadarshan Cooperative. On Wednesday, his statement was finalized and certified by Kamala Kafle, the District Attorney, and DSP Basanta Sharma.

Investigating officers took his statement over a period of nine days, which reportedly spans 45 pages. In his statement, Lamichhane denied having taken a loan from Suryadarshan.

Stating that he is neither a share member nor a borrower from Suryadarshan, Lamichhane claimed, “I was not in any position on the management committee, audit committee, loan committee, or any other position of Suryadarshan.”

Alongside Lamichhane, former DIG Chhabilal Joshi, Lila Pachhai, and Ram Bahadur Khanal are also in police custody in connection with the misappropriation of Suryadarshan’s funds.