The government has filed a petition in the High Court of Pokhara asking for an investigation into the Suryadarshan Cooperative fraud, organized crime and money laundering case of Pokhara by keeping 7 people including Ravi Lamichhane in custody.
Judge Nitij Rai of the District Court Kaski rejected the order to release 7 people on bail, including the then former managing director of Gorkha Media Pvt. Ravi Lamichhane.
On December 25, Lamichhane, who is also the former managing director of Gorkha Media, was ordered to be released on a bond of 65 lakhs by Kaski District Court Judge Rai. The co-operative victim also submitted a petition to the public prosecutor's office saying that he was released with a much lower bail than the one claimed by the public prosecutor's office.
Based on the report of the District Public Prosecutor's Office, the High Public Prosecutor's Office has submitted a petition to the High Court on Monday . Mahesh Aryal, Assistant Attorney General and Information Officer of the High Public Prosecutor's Office, said that he has submitted an application to the High Court demanding the cancellation of the order to release the seven people on bail, including Lamichhane.
'An application has been filed in the High Court by the High Public Prosecutor's Office on the order of the Kaski District Court to keep the defendants on bail . The order to keep the bail belongs to Berit, the government of Nepal has filed a petition in the high court based on the order of Berit to keep the defendants in custody,' said Acharya .
The defendants in the cooperative fraud, organized crime and money laundering case are Lamichhane, the then managing director of Gorkha Media Network Pvt. Ltd. who is also the former home minister, former director of Gorkha Media and former DIG of Nepal Police and then owner of Gorkha Media Chabilal Joshi, former member of Gandaki Provincial Assembly from UML, Meena Gurung, Leela Pachai, Ram Bahadur District to release Khanal, Krishna Bahadur Gurung and Aarti Gurung on bail The government has approached the High Court demanding the annulment of the order given by the court.
The District Court Kaski asked former DIG and then owner of Gorkha Media Joshi for 88 lakhs, Lamichhanes for 65 lakhs, Pachai for 37 lakhs, Khanal for 15 lakhs, Krishna Bahadur Gurung for 1 lakh, Meena Gurung for 5 lakhs and Aarti Gurung for 5 lakhs. All seven have been released from custody after paying the specified bond.
Acharya said about the arguments submitted to keep them in prison, 'We have gone to the High Court based on the basis of the punishment they may face, the punishment they may face tomorrow, their involvement in the crime and the amount of the crime.'
After receiving the application of the High Public Prosecutor's Office, the High Court will demand the report of the District Court on the said case . Then the arguments of the government and the defendants of the case will be held in the High Court. After the debate, the High Court will either confirm the order of the district court or order the defendants to be sent to prison for pre-trial detention as requested by the public prosecutor.
