Victim in Pokhara Cooperative Fraud Case Arrested on Embezzlement Charges

Pokhara. Krishna Jaisi, a victim in the case involving the Suryadarshan Cooperative in Pokhara, has himself been arrested on charges of cooperative fraud. During an election campaign, he had submitted a school fee bill for a child to Bina Gurung, the Rastriya Swatantra Party's candidate for Kaski-3.

RSP Chairman Rabi Lamichhane had pressured for the return of the funds, citing complaints that the victim had misappropriated cooperative money and failed to repay it.

Jaisi has now been arrested in connection with the Dhanush Cooperative fraud in Pokhara. He is accused of misappropriating 8.2 million rupees. The police have not confirmed his arrest, but sources indicate he has been apprehended, although the remand extension process is still pending.

A financial analysis report revealed that 125.6 million rupees were misappropriated from the cooperative, naming 13 individuals as defendants.

According to Provincial Cooperative Registrar Bheshraj Rijal, the report has been sent to the Kaski District Police Office. Officials and managers were found to have the primary role in the misappropriation of cooperative funds. Former directors of the Saaino Cooperative appear to be the most culpable.

Engineer Asim Baral and Sirjana Gurung were found to have jointly misappropriated 31.7 million rupees.

Sources claim they withdrew funds by creating artificial names of individuals who were not members of the cooperative. "Asim Baral and Sirjana Gurung misappropriated the largest amount; their total misappropriation amounts to 31.7 million rupees," a source stated. "Currently, Sirjana Gurung has fled to America, and Engineer Asim Baral has fled to France."

Jaisi is accused of mobilizing funds through meter interest transactions by accumulating artificial savings. Two cooperative managers, Biraj Subedi and Jagat Paudel, also misappropriated large sums.

Biraj was found to have used 22.5 million rupees for personal use, and Jagat used 12.5 million rupees. The police have stated that the search for the defendants is intensifying.