Judge Basudev Acharya, who ordered the release of Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) President Rabi Lamichhane on bail in a cooperative case, has been assigned as chairman of the Special Court.
On Thursday, the Judicial Council decided to recommend Acharya’s appointment as Special Court chairman to the government. The Cabinet will now make the final decision on his appointment.
Acharya previously served at the Butwal bench of the Tulsipur High Court. On December 18, 2025, a division bench comprising Acharya and another judge, Tej Narayan Paudel, ordered Lamichhane’s release on bail in the case involving the alleged misappropriation of funds from Supreme Cooperative.
The bench ordered that Lamichhane be released on bail after securing a bank guarantee of Rs 27.48 million, equivalent to the amount claimed against Lamichhane. Following the order, Lamichhane has remained out of custody pending trial.
Four individuals were collectively charged with an alleged loss of Rs 101.94 million in the Supreme Cooperative case. Lamichhane’s share of the alleged amount was set at Rs 27.48 million, for which he submitted a bank guarantee.
Judge Acharya was transferred to the Butwal bench of the Tulsipur High Court in August 2024. He had been on deputation at the Supreme Court from the Butwal bench since May 18.
According to Ram Prasad Bhattarai, acting secretary at the Judicial Council Secretariat, Judge Sudarshan Dev Bhatta had requested his transfer from the Special Court in a petition submitted to Chief Justice and Judicial Council Chairman Manoj Kumar Sharma.
Judge Bhatta, who had been serving as chairman of the Special Court, has now been transferred to the Surkhet High Court, while Acharya has been assigned responsibility as chairman of the Special Court.
Judge Bhatta had been transferred from the Janakpur High Court and appointed chairman of the Special Court following a Judicial Council decision dated September 15, 2025. However, he was transferred before completing a year in the position, and Acharya was appointed to head the Special Court.
Judges are generally transferred every two years.
Acharya, who is originally from Arghakhanchi, was appointed as a high court judge in 2016. Before becoming a judge, he worked as a lawyer and also served as the Arghakhanchi district secretary of the Nepali Congress.
