SC demands additional evidences in a case against Lamichhane

Kathmandu, Jan 25: The Supreme Court has ordered the collection of additional evidences in the case against Rabi Lamichhane, president of the Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP), on the organised crime and money laundering.     

A division bench of Justices Dr Manoj Kumar Sharma and Shrikant Paudel issued the order on Sunday.     

According to the order, the Attorney General had argued that the charge sheet was amended after additional evidence was discovered following the filing of the original charges.     

The SC directed that these additional documents be obtained from the Office of the Attorney General and, once received, the matter be presented for discussion on an interim order as per legal procedure.     

Earlier, on January 20, a single bench of Justice Abdur Aziz Musalman had ordered the Office of the Attorney General to provide the original copy of its decision to amend the organised crime and money laundering charges against Lamichhane.     

Lamichhane had been facing charges of cooperative fraud in addition to allegations of the organised crime and money laundering. On January 14, the Office of the Attorney General amended the charges and subsequently withdrew the organised crime and money laundering cases against Lamichhane and other defendants involved in the cooperative fraud case.     

Later, the decision of the Office of the Attorney General faced criticism from the Nepal Bar Association, various human rights organisations, and civil society groups.(RSS)