Kathmandu: Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) President Rabi Lamichhane will remain in custody in connection with the Supreme Cooperative fraud case. The Rupandehi District Court, presided over by Justice Narayan Prasad Sapkota, on Monday ordered Lamichhane to stay in detention. He had requested to face trial outside prison by submitting a bank guarantee of Rs 27.484 crore, equivalent to the amount imposed on him, but the court rejected his plea.

Charges and Loan Details
Lamichhane has been in custody in Butwal since Chaitra 10 for trial in the cooperative fraud case. Of the Rs 642.9 million in loans issued by the Supreme Cooperative of Butwal to various individuals, Rs 20 million was reportedly deposited in Lamichhane’s name and in the name of Gorkha Media employee Roshni Gurung. The charge sheet alleges that around Rs 65 million was transferred to Gorkha Media Pvt. Ltd., where Lamichhane served as managing director, director, and shareholder for 20 months.

Earlier Bail and Case Developments
Previously, Justice Prahlad Kumar Yogi had granted Lamichhane bail of Rs 10 million in an initial district court case. Lamichhane has consistently denied involvement, claiming the loans were taken using forged documents. However, depositing the equivalent amount has raised questions about whether he has implicitly accepted the charges.

Impact on Party Campaign
The RSP had launched a mass signature campaign asserting Lamichhane’s innocence. Following his partial acknowledgment of responsibility, the future of this campaign remains uncertain.