Nepal Police arrested 12 students who were demonstrating outside the nation’s parliament, calling for the resignation of Home Minister Rabi Lamichhane.
The protestors, affiliated with the Nepal Student Union (NSU), voiced their demands on Friday afternoon, urging the establishment of a parliamentary committee to probe allegations of cooperative fraud totalling millions, purportedly implicating Lamichhane.
The student faction aligned with the opposition Nepali Congress, NSU, vocalized chants such as “Charge the cooperative fraud,” “Justice for cooperative victims,” “Where is GB Rai?” and others, as law enforcement apprehended them.
The Nepali Congress has persisted in its protests within parliament, pressing for the establishment of a parliamentary investigation committee to scrutinize the cooperative fraud allegations implicating Home Minister Rabi Lamichhane. On Thursday, a confrontation erupted between lawmakers from the opposition and the ruling alliance in the lower house of the Nepal parliament regarding this matter.
Home Minister Lamichhane of Nepal is facing accusations of fraud related to a cooperative scheme that has reportedly defrauded numerous savers of millions of rupees. Despite denying any involvement, evidence has emerged during the ongoing investigation implicating him in the fraudulent activities.
Lamichhane collaborated with GB Rai, a key figure in the multi-million rupee fraud, prior to his involvement in politics during the recent election. Rai is currently evading authorities, prompting an extensive search by the police.
The Pokhara Metropolis has recently concluded an investigative report on the suspected fraudulent activities within the cooperative. This comprehensive report was finalized earlier this week and promptly submitted to the Police. Numerous applications have been filed, naming Lamichhane as one of the individuals involved in the fraudulent activities.
Accusations have been levelled against Lamichhane for abusing his power to relocate high-ranking police officials involved in the investigation. Additionally, he is accused of exerting undue influence on the Office of the Attorney General to obtain a favourable outcome regarding the cooperative fraud case.
