“I am ready to take responsibility for cooperative funds used by Gorkha Media”

KATHMANDU: Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) President Rabi Lamichhane has said that he was ready to take responsibility for any funds spent through Gorkha Media Network that came from cooperatives.

Speaking at a party program in Mugling, Chitwan, on Friday, Lamichhane claimed that he is not evading responsibility. “If I need to take responsibility for spending money that came to the company, I am ready. I am not avoiding that responsibility,” he said. “But there is no need to conspire by misinterpreting and abusing state power to implicate me.”

Lamichhane said he and his party were working tirelessly for the return of cooperative savings to the rightful depositors. “I will assist in the investigation. I will give statements where required. I will appear wherever needed. I’m even prepared to go to jail if necessary,” Lamichhane said. “Both RSP and myself are working to ensure that cooperative depositors get their savings back.”

He added that he had taken a special proposal to the cabinet for the return of cooperative savings during his tenure as the home minister. “But it was not taken forward when I stepped down,” he added.

Lamichhane also accused the state agencies of attempting to frame him. “Why two years of investigation was not sufficient to prove me guilty if I was indeed culpable?” he questioned.

The RSP President reiterated that he was not involved in bringing funds from cooperatives to Gorkha Media Network but acknowledged that, as a board member, he might have to take responsibility for how the money was spent once it was in the company.

Lamichhane claimed that he became aware of cooperative savings coming into the media company only during his second term as the home minister.

Stating that he Gorkha Media’s funds for the company’s benefit, Lamichhane criticized the misinterpretation that he was responsible for the entire Rs 650 million that came to the media company from different cooperatives.