Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) President Rabi Lamichhane, who is currently in prison, has filed a petition in the Rupandehi District Court seeking release on bail.
Lamichhane, detained in Rupandehi Prison for preliminary investigation in a case involving cooperative fraud and organized crime, filed the petition on August 4 (Monday) seeking his release upon posting bail, according to Padam Aryal, information officer of the Rupandehi District Court.
It has emerged that Lamichhane also submitted a bank guarantee along with the petition for release on bail.
“A sealed envelope containing the bank guarantee has also been submitted along with the petition. The bench will hear the matter and make a decision,” Aryal said.
Lamichhane was sent to judicial custody in a case involving misappropriation of funds at Supreme Savings and Credit Cooperative. On January 26, a bench of Rupandehi District Court Judge Prahlad Kumar Yogi ordered his release on a bail of Rs 10 million.
Lamichhane moved the Tulsipur High Court, challenging the district court’s order. However, on April 4, the Butwal bench of the high court ordered him to be kept in custody for preliminary investigation.
Subsequently, Lamichhane’s wife, Nikita Paudel, filed a habeas corpus petition in the Supreme Court on April 20. Responding to the petition, the Supreme Court upheld the high court’s order, directing that Lamichhane be kept in custody.
Now, Lamichhane has demanded that he be released after posting a bail equivalent to the amount claimed against him in the charge sheet related to the Supreme Cooperative case.
“He has requested release by setting a bail amount equivalent to the claim made against him in the charge sheet,” information officer Aryal said.
Lamichhane has sought release on bail under Sections 68, 69, and 71 of the National Criminal Procedure Code.
Lamichhane faces a claim of Rs 40 million in damages, based on allegations that he personally took a loan of Rs 20 million and facilitated an additional Rs 20 million loan to Gorkha Media.
The total damages claimed against all accused collectively amount to Rs 109.9 million.
