The Kaski District Court on Sunday remanded Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) chair and former home minister Rabi Lamichhane in custody for six days for further investigation on charges of cooperatives funds embezzlement and organised crime.

According to Suraj Adhikari, the information officer at the district court, the single bench of district judge Nabaraj Dahal granted the District Police Office in Kaski the permission to keep Lamichhane in custody for six days effective from Friday, when a team of the Central Investigation Bureau detained the RSP chief from his party office in Kathmandu.

District attorney Kamala Kafle, assistant district attorney duo Shanti Devi Sharma and Bipin Raj Tiwari and advocate Bed Bahadur Bista argued in court seeking the six-day remand order. Senior advocates Sushil Panta and Narayan Ghimire argued on behalf of Lamichhane.

Lamichhane was arrested in Kathmandu on Friday and was subsequently brought to Pokhara, where he was presented before the court on Sunday. Lamichhane, along with several other individuals, is accused of misappropriating funds from the Pokhara-based Suryadarshan Savings and Credit Cooperative. The arrest followed a parliamentary probe which linked him and others to the embezzlement of millions of rupees from the cooperative.

The court on Friday had issued arrest warrants against 14 individuals, with investigations being conducted into their involvement. So far, over 60 people have been implicated in misusing the deposits of Suryadarshan Cooperative, with six, including Gorkha Media Network’s director and former DIG of Nepal Police, Chhabilal Joshi, held in custody for investigation.

RSP activists hit the streets

Protests were staged both in favour of and against Lamichhane in Pokhara, with RSP supporters rallying for his release and cooperative victims demanding his detention for further investigation into the fraud allegations. The police remained on high alert to prevent possible clashes and any untoward incident as parallel demonstrations continued.

RSP members and supporters staged protests at Sahid Chowk, demanding Lamichhane’s unconditional release. Terming Lamichhane’s arrest a political vendetta, the protesters claimed that the government was protecting the leaders of the ruling parties who are “actually involved” in the cooperative scam.

The protesters clashed with police as the security personnel tried to remove the demonstrators from Sahid Chowk which had earlier been declared a prohibited area.

The police personnel and the demonstrators shoved one another for some time. The police lobbed a teargas canister and used a water cannon to disperse the protesters for some time.

The protesters accused the government of using excessive force to suppress their peaceful agitation. “The government used force to suppress the protest. Today, it used canes and water cannon against us. Tomorrow, it could use bullets,” said Manish Jha, the RSP spokesperson.

RSP cadres and supporters had gathered at Sahid Chowk, which is around 100 metres from the district court, before the administration declared it as a prohibited area.

All senior RSP leaders and lawmakers including DP Aryal, Swarnim Wagle, Shishir Khanal, Manish Jha, Chanda Karki, Toshima Karki, Sumana Shrestha, Hari Dhakal, and Nisha Dangi participated in the protest rally. They chanted slogans against the government.

The RSP activists and supporters staged demonstrations in Pokhara on Saturday as well. They chanted slogans against Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli. Stating that the government is hell-bent on protecting its tainted leaders, the activists marched with photos of Nepali Congress Vice President Dhanraj Gurung and CPN-UML leader Rishikesh Pokharel. Gurung along with his ex-wife are also accused of misusing cooperative funds, while Pokharel, who chairs the parliamentary Public Accounts Committee, along with his wife, is facing similar charges.

Prohibitory order imposed around district administration office

To prevent possible clashes and unrest, the Kaski District Administration Office on Sunday issued a prohibitory order in certain areas of Pokhara. Chief District Officer Bharat Mani Pandey issued the order, which bans protests, rallies, and gatherings in Sahid Chowk and Palikhe Chowk areas.

The order came into effect from 11:45 am on Sunday and will remain in place until further notice, the district administration said.

The order restricts gatherings of more than five people and prohibits protests, sit-ins, demonstrations, and public assemblies. Anyone violating the order will face legal action as per existing laws, the administration said.

The restrictions were imposed after protests erupted following Lamichhane’s arrest on Friday evening. Demonstrations have continued in Pokhara since Saturday, with RSP leaders and supporters protesting the detention. Additionally, victims of cooperative scams are also protesting near Rastrabank Chowk, raising concerns of possible clashes between the two groups. There is a heavy deployment of police in and around the protest sites.

Victims of cooperative scam take to the street

People defrauded by various savings cooperatives also staged demonstrations at Mustang Chowk in Pokhara demanding action against those involved in embezzling public deposits. They had initially planned demonstrations at Rastrabank Chowk but later shifted the protest venue after the district administration imposed a prohibitory order in various places, including Rastrabank Chowk.

The depositors united under the banner of the Cooperative Depositors Victims Struggle Committee and Surya Darshan Depositors Victims Struggle Committee staged the demonstrations. They demanded immediate return of the money misused by the Gorkha Media Network and a fair probe into the involvement of board members of Gorkha Media Network for their alleged involvement in cooperative fraud.

Even elderly people and women carrying babies participated in the demonstration. Asha KC of Bindhyabasini in Pokhara attended the demonstration with her four-year-old son on her back. According to her, she had deposited Rs6.4 million in Suryadarshan Savings and Cooperative after selling her house.

“We heard that Rabi and GB took the money we had deposited. We don't care who took it, we want our money back,” said KC.