Kaski District Court Allows Removal of Organized Crime and Money Laundering Claims Against Rabi Lamichhane et al.

Kathmandu. Kaski District Court has allowed the government to remove the claims of 'organized crime' and 'money laundering' in the case filed regarding the embezzlement of funds from Suryadarshan Savings and Credit Cooperative Institution. The bench of Judge Himlal Belbase issued an order to amend the charge sheet and continue only the case of 'cooperative fraud'.

In the case where the government is the plaintiff, filed by Govinda Adhikari and others, Gitendra Babu (GB) Rai, Chabilal Joshi, and Rabi Lamichhane have been named as defendants. The District Government Attorney's Office, Kaski, had filed an application in the court seeking amendment to the previous charge sheet. The government's side's demand was to proceed with the main charge of 'cooperative fraud' only, without maintaining the claims of 'organized crime' and 'money laundering'.

The court has mentioned that the main subject of this case is to ensure the quick and easy return of funds to the victim depositors. The order states, 'The main subject of judicial resolution is to ensure the easy and prompt return of savings to the victim complainants, and the complainants also seem to be demanding the same.'

The court has allowed the amendment of the charge sheet because if the claims of organized crime and money laundering remain, the process of settlement between the defendants and the complainants or the return of funds would become more complicated and legally time-consuming.

The order mentions that the error has been corrected so that the decision previously made only for the defendant Rabi Lamichhane will now apply to other defendants as well.