Statement recording of Lamichhane, two others concludes

By Phadindra Adhikari,Lekhnath, Dec. 28: The Kaski District Court concluded the statement recording from former Home Minister and President of Rastriya Swantantra Party (RSP) Rabi Lamichhane regarding the Surya Darshan Savings and Credit Cooperative fraud case on Friday. 

Lamichhane, who was the former Managing Director of Gorkha Media Network, gave his statement before the bench of Judge Nitij Rai.

During the statement, Lamichhane reiterated his earlier testimony to the police. He claimed that he was not involved in the embezzlement of funds from Surya Darshan and other cooperatives, adding that all financial matters of Gorkha Media were handled by Gitendra Babu (GB) Rai, of which he had no knowledge. 

A total of 28 questions were asked during his statement collection. 

After three hours of questioning on Thursday, the statement-taking process was continued on Friday morning due to the office hours ending, registrar Rajan Khanal of the District Court, Kaski, said. 

Sixty-three individuals have been charged in the case for allegedly transferring funds from Surya Darshan Cooperative to Gorkha Media and misappropriating them unlawfully.

Previously, the statements of Chhabilal Joshi, the former Vice-chair of Gorkha Media, and Lila Pachhai, an employee of GB & Company, were recorded on Monday and concluded on Thursday.

Lamichhane faces allegations of money laundering, punishable by two to 15 years in prison and a fine double the embezzled amount, cooperative fraud (4 to 6 years in prison), and an additional 50 per cent penalty under organised crime. 

The charges state that under cooperative fraud, Lamichhane is collectively liable for Rs. 16.265 million and individually for Rs. 17.5 million, with a total liability of Rs. 278.944 million under money laundering.

Registrar Khanal said that the remaining defendants would be called for their statements in due course. "He repeated his police testimony, so it may conclude quickly if there’s no significant new information. Otherwise, it’s hard to predict when the statements will finish," Khanal remarked.

Statements of all defendants will be recorded continuously, after which detention hearings will commence. 

Khanal added, "We are planning to conclude the detention hearing order within the next week." Among the 63 defendants, seven individuals charged with supplementary allegations are currently in police custody.

In addition to Lamichhane, Joshi, and Khanal, others including former Surya Darshan directors Krishna Bahadur Gurung, GB & Company employee Lila Pachhai, Nature Herbs International Director Ram Bahadur Khanal, former Vice-Chair Mina Gurung, and former treasurer Aarati Gurung are also in custody at the Kaski police.

Mina and Aarati were arrested on Tuesday. Mina is a former member of the Gandaki Provincial Assembly. Except for Mina and Aarati, the statements of five others were completed at the District Government Attorney’s Office and submitted to the court on Sunday. Since the investigation has concluded and the charge sheet has been filed, their statements will now be recorded directly in court.

Registrar Khanal added, "For those not in custody, the charge sheet has listed them as absconding, and their statements will be taken directly in court." The charge sheet indicates that Mina and Aarati have no outstanding debts or financial transactions.

However, the collective liability for financial irregularities during their tenure as directors has been shown against them. The charge sheet specifies that Rs. 15.4 million was misappropriated during their tenure, of which Rs. 5.376 million must be collectively accounted for by 10 individuals.