In a significant legal development, the Office of the Attorney General has decided to withdraw charges of organized crime and money laundering against Rabi Lamichhane, the president of Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP).
Attorney General Sabita Bhandari announced the decision following a petition filed by Lamichhane. According to the ruling, the prosecution will now focus solely on allegations related to cooperative fraud and cheating.
Legal shift in multiple districts
The decision impacts ongoing cases across several jurisdictions. The Attorney General’s office stated that the charges will be amended under Section 36 of the National Criminal Procedure Code, 2017.
The organized crime and money laundering charges—previously active in the District Courts of Kaski, Kathmandu, Rupandehi, Parsa, and Chitwan—will no longer be pursued against Lamichhane. Instead, the prosecution will proceed only with the claims related to the misappropriation of cooperative funds.
"A decision has been made to approve the amendment of the charges so that the allegations of organized crime and money laundering do not remain in effect for Lamichhane," the Attorney General’s statement reads.
Political implications
This legal breakthrough clears a major hurdle for RSP leader's political career. Previously, the money laundering charges had led to his suspension from Parliament.
With these specific charges dropped, Lamichhane’s suspension is expected to be lifted, restoring his eligibility to serve as a Member of Parliament and clearing the path for him to hold ministerial office in the future.
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