The Kaski District Court has extended the custody of Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) President Rabi Lamichhane, who was arrested on charges of cooperative fraud and organized crime, by 13 days.
A bench of Judge Nawaraj Dahal on Sunday granted permission to the police to keep Lamichhane in custody and investigate him for an additional 13 days, the court’s registrar Rajan Khanal told Setopati.
Lamichhane was presented in the court on Sunday seeking extension of his custody for a fourth time.
On November 5, the court had extended Lamichhane’s custody by 10 days effective from the start of the Tihar holidays.
A team from the Central Investigation Bureau (CIB) of Nepal Police led by SP Habindra Bogati arrested Lamichhane from the party’s central office in Chamati of Kathmandu on October 18 after the Kaski District Court issued an arrest warrant for Lamichhane and 13 others on request of Kaski Police earlier that day. He was brought to Pokhara the same night.
Lamichhane was initially remanded to custody for six days. On October 24, the Kaski District Court extended his custody by seven days.
The Home Ministry on September 22 had instructed the Nepal Police to implement the report prepared by the parliamentary special inquiry committee formed to investigate cooperative fraud. Home Minister Ramesh Lekhak had ordered the Nepal Police Headquarters for necessary investigation and action on the basis of the committee report.
RSP has been holding street protests demanding Lamichhane’s release ever since he was arrested. It has also announced the second phase of protests. The party alleges that Lamichhane was arrested because of political vendetta.
