Rabi Lamichhane: What Next After A Meteoric Rise and A Shocking Downfall?

A media personality turned president of the Rastriya Swatantra Party and Home Minister marking his meteoric rise in a short time as well as a shocking downfall (at this point in time), Rabi Lamichhane has remained behind bars for months on charges of embezzling depositors’ savings kept in cooperatives like the Swarnalaxmi Cooperative in Kathmandu, Suryadarshan Cooperative in Pokhara, Sano Paila Cooperative in Birgunj and Sahara Cooperative in Chitwan when he was managing director of Gorkha Media Network.
 

Here’s a timeline of his tribulations and triumphs thus far: 

October 18, 2024: Arrested from the RSP central office in Kathmandu; taken to Pokhara.

October 21: Kaski district court allows six-day detention for a probe.

October 25: Detention extended by seven days.

November 6: Detention extended by 10 more days.

November 11: Further 13-day extension.

November 11: Taken from Pokhara to Bhairahawa for taking statement.

November 25: Fifth extension of remand for 15 days.

November 29: Transferred from Pokhara to Kathmandu for questioning.

December 4: Taken from Kathmandu to Chitwan for further questioning.

December 9: Sixth extension of remand in Kaski for four days.

December 10: Transferred from Pokhara to Parsa for investigation.

December 11: Statement recorded in Parsa.

December 12: Brought back to Pokhara via Kathmandu.

December 13: Seventh extension of remand in Kaski for five days.

December 17: Eighth extension granted for 4 days.

December 22:  Fraud, organized crime and money laundering charges filed at the Kaski district court.

December 23: Suspended as a Member of Parliament.

January 5, 2025: Fraud charges filed against 39 people, including Lamichhane, at the Kathmandu district court in connection with Swarnalaxmi Cooperative.

January 8: Kaski court orders release on Rs. 6.5 million bail.

JANUARY 26: The Rupandehi district court orders release on a Rs 10 million bail in connection with the Butwal Supreme Cooperative Fraud case.
 
March 31: Reinstated as party president.

April 5: Arrested from Budhanilakantha, Kathmandu following an order from the Butwal bench of the Tulsipur high court.

May 24:  The Supreme Court upholds the Butwal bench’s order to send him in custody in a cooperative fraud and organized crime case.