Lamichhane's interrogation begins in Rupandehi

Butwal, November 12 — The statement of Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) President Rabi Lamichhane has begun at the District Government Attorney's Office in Rupandehi.

He is being questioned in connection with the Supreme Cooperative fraud case in Rupandehi.

Lamichhane was brought to Bhairahawa from Kaski on Tuesday via a Buddha Air flight. He had been in police custody in Kaski for 26 days in relation to charges of cooperative fraud, organized crime, and money laundering. Lamichhane was transported to Bhairahawa by air from Pokhara.

The original plan was to bring him to Bhairahawa on the first flight from Pokhara, scheduled for 7:45 AM, but the flight was delayed due to bad weather. Meanwhile, RSP activists from Lumbini Province had already begun protesting at Buddha Chowk and Lumbini Gate in Bhairahawa. Supporters also gathered at the airport to demonstrate, as reported by RSP Provincial Vice President Shalikram Ghimire.

Rupandehi Police Chief Ranjitsingh Rathore confirmed to Ratopati that Lamichhane was taken directly from the airport to the Government Attorney's Office for questioning.

Along with Lamichhane, nearly 40 individuals, including Chhabilal Joshi Banjade, Vice President of Gorkha Media Network and former DIG, and Giteendra Babu Rai, former Chairman and current patron of the Supreme Savings and Credit Cooperative, were arrested for involvement in cooperative fraud and organized crime. The Rupandehi District Court had granted permission for the police to investigate these individuals, including Lamichhane.

The investigation has revealed that Rs. 142.9 million of the Supreme Savings and Credit Cooperative’s funds were illegally transferred to Gorkha Media Network and spent.