Govt told to take action against Lamichhane, other promoters of Gorkha Media

KATHMANDU: The Parliamentary Special Investigation Committee on Misappropriation of Cooperative Funds has recommended that the government take action against Rabi Lamichhane and other promoters of Gorkha Media Network.

“Since it appears that the Chairman Gitendra Babu Rai, Managing Director Rabi Lamichhane and Directors Kumar Ramtel and Chhabilal Joshi were involved in the process of spending or causing to spend the funds that came into the account of Gorkha Media Network from savings maintained at different cooperative institutions, the government is recommended to take action against them according to prevailing laws for their responsibility during their tenure as directors of the company,” the committee said in its report presented to the meeting of the House of Representatives on Monday.

The committee also said in the report that Rs 650 million was brought to Gorkha Media Network from different cooperative institutions. It also concluded that the purchase and sale of shares in Gorkha Media Network was done based on forged documents.

“Since it has been found that the purchase and sale of shares in companies, including Gorkha Media Network, were conducted using forged documents and without meeting the legal requirements for payment methods and instruments, the committee instructs the government to urge the relevant authorities to ensure the completion of the payment process, enforce mandatory provisions for paying related taxes, and study the legal framework for sweat equity shares to implement necessary and appropriate provisions,” it added.

Likewise, the committee has recommended to the government to refer the directors and those involved in the decision-making process of Suryadarshan Savings and Credit Cooperative Ltd (Pokhara), Supreme Savings and Credit Cooperative Ltd (Butwal), Swarnalaxmi Multipurpose Cooperative Ltd (Kathmandu), Sahara Chitwan Multipurpose Cooperative Ltd (Chitwan), and Sanopaila Savings and Credit Cooperative Ltd (Birgunj) to the relevant authorities for legal action for transferring funds to Gorkha Media Network in violation of cooperative laws.

The committee has also mentioned that GB Rai, Kumar Ramtel, former General Manager and current Chairman of the Rastriya Swatantra Party Rabi Lamichhane, and Director Chhabilal Joshi are also responsible as shareholders of Gorkha Media Network.