Swarnalaxmi embezzlement: Statement of RSP President Lamichhane concludes

Kathmandu, December 2 — The statement of Rabi Lamichhane, President of the Rashtriya Swatantra Party (RSP) and former Home Minister, has been completed. Investigating officers and government lawyers have finished recording his statement within three days regarding the embezzlement of funds from the Swarnalaxmi Multipurpose Cooperative.

A police official from the Kathmandu District Police Range involved in the investigation confirmed to Ratopati that his statement was completed on Monday evening.

On November 29, December 1 and 2, Lamichhane was questioned by the investigating officers about the embezzlement of funds from the Swarnalaxmi Multipurpose Cooperative. His statement was taken in the office of Kathmandu’s Assistant Attorney, Sandesh Shrestha.

According to the investigating officers, Lamichhane was asked 74 questions regarding the loan taken from Swarnalaxmi, the repayment amounts, and the outstanding balance. One of the officials involved in the investigation said, “We asked 74 questions, and he provided answers.”

Lamichhane and GB Rai, who were arrested on November 3, took loans from Swarnalaxmi to purchase a four-wheel vehicle on August 20, 2021, and an Eco Seven-Seater van on October 17, 2021.

Records from Swarnalaxmi show that Lamichhane took a loan of 4.698 million for the four-wheel loan, but only repaid 3.221 million, leaving an outstanding balance.

Similarly, for the Eco Seven-Seater van, Lamichhane took a loan of 4.688 million, with 2.952 million still unpaid. Police have recovered 35 vouchers from the Swarnalaxmi office. Investigating officers questioned Lamichhane based on the evidence obtained.

The preliminary findings of the police investigation indicate that 1.11 billion rupees were embezzled from Swarnalaxmi. According to the cooperative’s records, 27,000 depositors had deposited 2.659 billion rupees in the cooperative.