Rabi Lamichhane, chairman of the Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP), has filed an appeal at the Pokhara High Court, challenging the Kaski District Court’s decision to grant him bail of Rs6.5 million in the Suryadarshan Savings and Credit Cooperative fraud case.

Lamichhane expressed dissatisfaction with the January 9 order issued by Judge Neetij Rai’s bench under Section 68 of the Criminal Procedure Code. He has requested the High Court to overturn the decision and allow the case to proceed with his release without bail, in accordance with Section 69 of the code.

According to Lamichhane’s secretariat, the process of registering the appeal under Section 73 is ongoing at the Pokhara High Court.

The Kaski District Court had earlier determined that sufficient evidence warranted further investigation into financial irregularities linked to Lamichhane’s role in the cooperative, leading to the imposition of a significant bail amount.

Lamichhane remains under investigation in several other cases across the country, including allegations of embezzling funds from cooperatives and media networks. Legal experts have noted that his appeal in Pokhara may not serve as a precedent for other district courts addressing similar allegations against him.

The High Court’s decision on Lamichhane’s plea is expected to influence the trajectory of his legal battles, as he continues to face scrutiny over accusations of organised financial fraud.

Following the Kaski court’s order, Lamichhane was also released on bail by the Kathmandu District Court for Rs6 million and by the Rupandehi District Court for Rs10 million.

In the meantime, the Pokhara attorney’s office has also approached the High Court challenging the district court’s order to free Lamichhane on bail.