The investigation into the savings fraud of Swarnalakshmi multi-purpose cooperative in Kalimati, Kathmandu, has just progressed. Hundreds of savers of Swarnalakshmi filed a complaint with Kathmandu Police Circle Kalimati last year, but the investigation did not proceed.

After the Parliamentary Special Investigation Committee recommended action against the then chairman Gitendrababu (GB) Rai, the then vice-president and former DIG of Nepal Police Chabilal Banjade (Joshi), the then managing director Ravi Lamichhane and the director Kumar Ramtel for misappropriating the cooperative's savings to the Gorkha Media Network. There was increased pressure on the police. 

Lamichhane, the then managing director of the network, was the deputy prime minister and home minister when the parliamentary committee was formed. While he was the Home Minister and on various dates before that, even though Swarnalakshmi Cooperative fraud was reported to the police, the investigation did not proceed. After the new power equation of UML-Congress, Pushpa Kamal Dahal stepped down as the Prime Minister and Lamichhane, who was also the President of RSVP, was also relieved of his post as a minister. Even then, the police ignored the investigation of cooperative fraud. The Parliamentary Inquiry Special Committee submitted the report after identifying the names of those involved in the fraud. 

After the then Managing Director of Gorkha Media Network, Lamichhane, who was also the former Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister, and the then Vice President Joshi were arrested in the case of misappropriation of the savings of Suryadarshan Cooperative in Pokhara, Kathmandu Police started an investigation into the embezzlement of Swarnalakshmi. For the purpose of investigation, the district police complex Kathmandu has obtained an arrest warrant from the district court in Kathmandu against 24 people, including the then chairman of the network, for investigation on the charges of misappropriation of Swarnalakshmi's savings. 

Lamichhane and Joshi, who are currently in the custody of the Kaski police, are also under investigation for misappropriating the savings of Swarnalakshmi Cooperative. Kathmandu Police Chief SSP Vasant Rajourey said that investigation is being conducted into the Swarnalakshmi Cooperative fraud case and during that process, arrest warrant has been issued for those found to be criminals based on the facts. He said that the arrest warrant was obtained a few weeks ago. 

Kathmandu Metropolitan City-14, having its head office in Kalimati, opened branches in New Road, Maharajganj, Swayambhu and Jorpati. The cooperative collected savings of Rs. Out of which, 645 people filed a complaint with the police saying that their savings of 1.11 billion were embezzled in collusion with the owners and employees of the cooperative.

Based on the complaint filed by the victim to the Kathmandu Metropolitan City and the police and the report of the Special Parliamentary Investigation Committee, 24 of the accused have been granted permission to be arrested by the court for investigation.

Arrest warrants were issued for Swarnalakshmi Cooperative Vice President Devendra Babu Rai, Treasurer Kumar Ramtel, Secretary Iran Lama, Joint Secretary Kavita Lama, Members Hemant Adhikari and Ravina Rimal, Former Loan Subcommittee Member Suraj Shrestha, Former Treasurer Meera Bamjan, Former Joint Secretary Maya Rai and Former Manager Naveen Achami. are Arrest warrants have also been issued against ex-directors Deepak Lama, Savina Ale Magar, Bhakta Bahadur Bholan, Yamkumar Nalbo, Raju Baral, Punamkumar Chalise, Pradeep Lama, Savita Lama, Ganeshraj Shrestha, Sunita Neva, Shantikumari Subedi, Roman Kafle, Kamal Lama, former loan sub-committee member Raju Baral. has been

The Parliamentary Inquiry Special Committee formed under the leadership of UML MP Surya Bahadur Thapa to study the misappropriation of cooperative savings also asked the police to investigate the misappropriation of Swarnalakshmi's savings and bring the culprits to justice. Based on the facts and evidence revealed by the inquiry committee report and the police investigation, the then vice president of Gorkha Media and former DIG Chabilal Joshi and former home minister Lamichhane, who was also the then managing director of Gorkha Media, have been arrested. The police are investigating the accused, including Lamichhane and Joshi, for offenses related to cooperative fraud, organized crime and money laundering. Lamichhane and Joshi are being investigated by the police for embezzling the savings of Suryadarshan of Kaski (Pokhara), Supreme of Ruppandehi (Butwal), Sahara of Chitwan (Bharatpur) and Sano Paila Sahakari of Parsa (Birganj) along with Swarnalakshmi of Kathmandu to Gorkha media network. 

Kaski police is taking statement from Lamichhane in Suryadarshan cooperative fraud. In the same case, an officer said that Joshi has already made a statement in the Supreme case of Suryadarshan and Butwal, and the police are ready to take Lamichhane to Butwal to make a statement. Kumar Ramtel, the treasurer of Swarnalakshmi, is already in custody for preliminary investigation in Suryadarshan of Pokhara and Supreme Cooperative of Butwal fraud charges. 

'It seems that 5 thousand 669 people have saved 2 billion 650 million 95 million 52 thousand 58 rupees in Swarnalakshmi Cooperative,' said a police officer, 'of which the employees, in collusion with the directors, have illegally embezzled money from the cooperative elsewhere and returned their own money. Arrest warrants have been taken against 24 of the accused during the investigation of the complaint filed against them.'' Similarly, various people including Joshi also seem to have taken money from the cooperative as a loan.  According to the information received by

, Gorkha Media Network and Gorkha Group of Companies including Dev Deep Agriculture and Animal Husbandry Farm, Mandara Terrace and Expansion, Korkha Herbal Production Pvt Ltd, Mandara Tours and Travel Pvt Ltd, Kumkum Herbal Industries Pvt Ltd, Herbo International Pvt Ltd, New Sulux Investigation revealed that funds were taken to Offset Printers Pvt Ltd, Saregama Records Pvt Ltd, Spring Wood Real Estate Pvt Ltd and Galaxy TV. Out of which, Lamichhane was the director of Gorkha Media Network with 15 percent share. The remaining shares were held in the names of Rai, Joshi and Ramtel. During the investigation, the police said that during the search of Swarnalakshmi's office, the computer and booklets with the decisions of the board of directors of various dates have also been recovered.

It has been revealed that apart from the fact that GB, Image and Ravi took from the cooperative to Gorkha Media's account, 46 lakh 88 thousand was taken again in the name of GB Rai and Ravi Lamichhane to buy 'Eco Seven Seater Van' on 1st February 2078. Even now, out of the loan taken to buy a van, 29 lakh 52 thousand 436 rupees is still to be paid. On July 4, 2078, Gorkha Media President Rai and Managing Director Lamichhane took a loan of 4.698 thousand from the same cooperative to buy a 'four wheeler' vehicle. It seems that 32 lakh 21 thousand 633 rupees 51 paise of the loan taken for buying the car is still to be paid. Similarly, the police officer said that details of Joshi's withdrawal of Rs 18 lakh 28 thousand 110 from the cooperative on 9th of Chait 2078 and returned on the 29th of the same month were also seen from the server seized by the police.