Ravi Lamichhane Faces Three Charges In Court

The District Attorney's Office in Kaski has filed a case in the Kaski District Court against 31 individuals, including the President of the National Independent Party, Ravi Lamichhane, in connection with the case involving the Surya Darshan Cooperative in Pokhara. The case has been filed under three charges.

Along with Lamichhane, former DIG Chhabilal Joshi, Lila Pachhai, Rambahadur Khanal, and Krishna Bahadur Gurung have been charged with cooperative fraud, organized crime, and money laundering. According to Kham Narayan Lamichhane, the Acting Registrar of the Kaski District Court, a case has also been filed against eight companies. Additionally, the District Government Attorney's Office has recommended the confiscation of assets from five individuals. In total, 44 individuals and companies have been named as defendants.

The police had recommended that 51 individuals, including Lamichhane, be required to repay 1.5 billion rupees in damages, and cases be filed for cooperative fraud, organized crime, and money laundering. According to the police investigation report, Lamichhane could face 4 to 6 years of imprisonment for cooperative fraud, an additional 50% punishment for organized crime, and 2 to 15 years for money laundering, along with a double penalty for damages.

The District Government Attorney's Office has also filed a supplementary charge sheet in the court on Friday, adding charges and damages to the case already filed last year against 19 individuals for cooperative fraud. The main planner of the cooperative fraud, GB Rai, has been charged with organized crime, money laundering, and violations of the Nepal Rastra Bank Act.