Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) chairman and former home minister, Rabi Lamichhane, has been suspended from his position as a Member of Parliament. Issuing a notice on Monday general secretary of the Parliament, Padma Prasad Pandey informed that his position as the Lawmakers has been suspended.
Lamichhane has been stripped of his position as the Member of Parliament following filing of three charges against him by Kaski District Court including under the Money Laundering Prevention Act 2008.
The District Government Attorney’s Office, Kaski, filed a case against RSP Chair Lamichhane at the Kaski District Court on Sunday on three offenses, seeking more than Rs 2.75 billion in compensation for the victims of cooperative scam. With the registration of the case, he has been suspended from his position as a member of parliament. The charges relate to Lamichhane’s alleged involvement in the Suryadarshan Cooperative fraud case and organize crime besides the money laundering case.
Lamichhane, along with 30 others, including former DIG Chhabilal Joshi, faces allegations of cooperative fraud, organised crime, and money laundering. The chargesheet also demands for restitution and severe penalties, including imprisonment of up to 15 years for money laundering offences.
The Money Laundering Prevention Act mandates the automatic suspension of any official facing such charges until the resolution of the case. Lamichhane’s suspension was formalised, with Speaker Devraj Ghimire notifying of the charges filed by the Kaski District Attorney’s Office and the District Police.
Meanwhile, the RSP has designated vice-chair DP Aryal as the acting chair to oversee its operations as the investigation against Lamichhane continues.
