The Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) held a protest in Baluwatar on Tuesday, demanding the release of its chairman, Rabi Lamichhane, who was arrested on charges of cooperative fraud and organised crime.

According to Acting General Secretary Kabindra Burlakoti, police detained numerous leaders and supporters shortly after the protest began. Among those arrested are lawmaker Ashok Kumar Chaudhary, Kathmandu district chair Pradeep Bista, Lalitpur district chair Buddhiratna Maharjan, and Taplejung district chair Birendra Kumar Shrestha.

Burlakoti said police detained the leaders while they were peacefully demonstrating.

The party has been staging protests nationwide since Lamichhane’s arrest on October 18.

He was detained based on recommendations from a parliamentary special probe committee, formed in May to investigate troubled cooperatives. The House panel’s report concluded that Lamichhane was involved in misappropriating millions of rupees funnelled into Gorkha Media Network from various cooperatives during his tenure as managing director of the now-defunct media company that ran Galaxy 4K Television before he entered politics in June 2022.

Following the report’s submission, Speaker of the House of Representatives Devraj Ghimire directed the government to implement its recommendations, and a Cabinet meeting instructed relevant state agencies to take necessary actions.

On October 24, the Kaski District Court extended Lamichhane’s custody for seven days. Lamichhane previously served as deputy prime minister and home minister.