RSP protests continued detention of its President Rabi Lamichhane

KATHMANDU: The Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) has expressed serious concern over, what it claims is, the retaliatory detention of party President Rabi Lamichhane.

Issuing a statement on Wednesday, RSP Acting Spokesperson Manish Jha, the party demanded that Lamichhane be investigated while remaining outside detention.

“Although the parliamentary special investigation committee has established that Lamichhane was not involved in the cooperative fraud, the government continues to extend his detention period repeatedly without substantial grounds. This appears to be a vindictive attempt to prolong his detention,” Jha said in the statement. “We therefore draw attention of the all concerned to the legal provisions that allow for investigation while the accused remains outside detention.”

Jha has also protested against the “use of force” by the police against RSP supporters in Pokhara on Tuesday. “We strongly condemn the unnecessary police force used to disrupt the peaceful demonstration in Pokhara,” the statement said.