The victims of cooperatives fraud waved black flags to Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal in Pokhara on Wednesday.

The depositors of the Pokhara-based Suryadarshan Savings and Credit Cooperative, who had gathered outside Pokhara City Hall, staged the protest demanding justice for the victims of cooperatives fraud. They vented their ire at the government’s indifference to resolving the problems and returning their deposits.

The security personnel briefly detained 11 people for showing black flags and chanting slogans against Prime Minister Dahal. Around 40 victims of cooperatives fraud gathered in front of the city hall where Prime Minister Dahal was scheduled to address a party function.

Dahal, who also chairs the CPN (Maoist Centre), had reached Pokhara on Tuesday evening to interact with the party’s provincial members.

On September 10, 2023, arrest warrants were issued against 19 individuals for their alleged involvement in the embezzlement of Rs1.35 billion deposited by the public at the Pokhara-based cooperative.

Based on the metropolitan city’s complaint and the district police office's findings, the district attorney’s office filed a case at the Kaski District Court on October 5 last year naming 19 accused, including Gitendra Babu (GB) Rai, the prime suspect in the embezzlement of funds of several cooperatives who has been evading arrest.

A report of the Pokhara Metropolitan City’s probe committee last month revealed that a loan of Rs300 million was issued to the Rai-led Gorkha Media Network Ltd. Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Home Affairs Rabi Lamichhane was the managing director of the media company before he joined politics.