Login

Forget Password?
Login With Facebook
Don't Have An Account? Sign Up

Sign Up

Already Have An Account? Login
Read Our Privacy Policy
Back to Login
  • National
  • Politics
  • Valley
  • Opinion
  • Money
  • Sports
  • Culture & Lifestyle

  • National
    • Madhesh Province
    • Lumbini Province
    • Bagmati Province
    • National Security
    • Koshi Province
    • Gandaki Province
    • Karnali Province
    • Sudurpaschim Province
  • Politics
  • Valley
    • Kathmandu
    • Lalitpur
    • Bhaktapur
  • Opinion
    • Columns
    • As it is
    • Letters
    • Editorial
    • Cartoon
  • Money
  • Sports
    • Cricket
    • Football
    • International Sports
  • Culture & Lifestyle
    • Arts
    • Brunch with the Post
    • Movies
    • Life & Style
    • Theater
    • Entertainment
    • Books
    • Fashion
  • Health
  • Food
    • Recipes
  • Travel
  • Investigations
  • Climate & Environment
  • World
  • Science & Technology
  • Interviews
  • Visual Stories
  • Crosswords & Sudoku
  • Horoscope
  • Forex
  • Corrections
  • Letters to the Editor
  • Today's ePaper
Monday, August 11, 2025

Without Fear or FavourUNWIND IN STYLE

23.25°C Kathmandu
Air Quality in Kathmandu: 68
300+Hazardous
0-50Good
51-100Moderate
101-150Unhealty for Sensitive Groups
151-200Unhealthy
201-300Very Unhealthy
Mon, Aug 11, 2025
23.25°C Kathmandu
Air Quality in Kathmandu: 68
  • What's News :

  • China’s dominance in EV market
  • School Education Bill
  • Dengue cases rise
  • Regulation of cooperative sector
  • Gaijatra Pride march

Madhesh Province

Parsa attorney files fraud and organised crime case against Rabi Lamichhane

RSP chair among 29 individuals charged over alleged embezzlement of cooperative funds totalling over Rs1.15 billion. Parsa attorney files fraud and organised crime case against Rabi Lamichhane
bookmark
  • facebook
  • twitter
  • Whatsapp
  • mail
Shankar Acharya
Published at : June 15, 2025
Updated at : June 16, 2025 15:49
Parsa

The District Government Attorney’s Office in Parsa has filed a charge-sheet at the Parsa District Court against Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) chair Rabi Lamichhane and 28 others in connection with a large-scale cooperative fraud and organised crime case.

The case relates to the alleged misappropriation of Rs115.6 million from Sano Paila Savings and Credit Cooperative, headquartered in Birgunj-6, Adarshnagar. The charge sheet, filed on May 13, seeks recovery of the embezzled amount and imprisonment of six to eight years for Lamichhane under Section 124 of the Cooperatives Act 2017. Additional punishment has been sought under the Organised Crime Control Act 2013, which allows for an extra 50 percent jail term on top of the standard sentence.

The investigation into Sano Paila Cooperative began following multiple complaints from depositors in 2023 and early 2025. The police report submitted to the attorney’s office indicates that Lamichhane, along with co-accused Chhabilal Joshi and others, played a central role in the fraudulent redirection of cooperative funds.

According to the charge-sheet, Rs100.7 million was transferred from Sano Paila to Gorkha Media Network, where Lamichhane served as managing director. An additional Rs9.6 million went to Nature Herbs Industries Pvt Ltd. However, the largest sum—over Rs1.15 billion—was allegedly funnelled to the Swarnalaxmi Multipurpose Cooperative based in Kathmandu.

In total, police confirmed that Sano Paila Cooperative embezzled Rs2.301 billion from 5,873 depositors. Several formal complaints were filed in 2023 and 2025, including those from Najanin Begum and 51 others in August 2023, and 207 depositors led by Bishal Sahani in September 2023. Another group of 179 depositors lodged complaints in February 2025.

Initially investigated solely for financial irregularities, the case later expanded to include organised crime and money laundering, following a report by a parliamentary probe committee. Police conducted a detailed audit, collecting documents including transaction records, vouchers, software data from GCS, and the cooperative’s daybooks.

Lamichhane is currently in pre-trial detention at Bhairahawa prison in connection with a separate cooperative fraud case involving Butwal-based Supreme Cooperative. He was remanded by the Butwal bench of the High Court Tulsipur on April 4, 2025, overturning an earlier release on Rs10 million bail granted by Rupandehi District Court in January.

Lamichhane’s political and legal troubles continue to mount, as multiple cooperatives across the country—including those in Pokhara, Butwal, Chitwan, Kathmandu, and Parsa—have been linked to the diversion of funds to Gorkha Media Network, which formerly operated Galaxy 4K Television. Lamichhane left the media company in mid-2022 to pursue a political career.

Further investigations into cooperative fraud and organised financial crime are ongoing.


Shankar Acharya

Shankar Acharya is the Parsa correspondent for Kantipur Publications.


Related News

Locals, police clash in Dhanusha
One killed in police firing during clash over smuggling in Saptari
Drought-hit farmers die hooking wires to mains for irrigation
Madheshi activists take to the streets to call for long-term solutions to Tarai water crisis
Highway trees turning into deadly traps for travellers
Man kills teenage girl, injures two others in khukuri attack in Janakpur

Most Read from Madhesh Province

Man kills teenage girl, injures two others in khukuri attack in Janakpur
Drought-hit farmers die hooking wires to mains for irrigation
Madheshi activists take to the streets to call for long-term solutions to Tarai water crisis
Highway trees turning into deadly traps for travellers
One killed in police firing during clash over smuggling in Saptari

Editor's Picks

Students say they are abused under guise of discipline at a Kathmandu school
Exploring ‘forbidden’ hours: Women assert access to public space with midnight walks
Nepali women being sent to Hong Kong on fake Indian IDs
Bitter husband-wife rift throws Nagarik Unmukti Party into chaos
Drought-hit farmers die hooking wires to mains for irrigation

E-PAPER | August 11, 2025

  • Read ePaper Online
×
ABOUT US
  • About the Post
  • Masthead
  • Editorial Standards & Integrity
  • Workplace Harassment Policy
  • Privacy Policy
READ US
  • Home Delivery
  • ePaper
CONTACT US
  • Write for the Post
  • Letters to the Editor
  • Advertise in the Post
  • Work for the Post
  • Send us a tip
INTERACT WITH US
  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
OUR SISTER PUBLICATIONS
  • eKantipur
  • saptahik
  • Nepal
  • Nari
  • Radio Kantipur
  • Kantipur TV
© 2025 www.kathmandupost.com
  • Privacy Policy
Top