Himal Press 
KATHMANDU: Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) President and former Deputy Prime Minister Rabi Lamichhane has been transferred to Nakkhu Prison in Lalitpur.
He was from Bhairahawa Prison on Saturday.
According to RSP Vice President Swarnim Wagle, Lamichhane was flown to Kathmandu aboard a Buddha Air flight and taken directly to Nakkhu Prison from the airport.
Lamichhane had been sent to Bhairahawa Prison on April 7 following a remand order issued by the Butwal bench of the Tulsipur High Court, Tulsipur. A bench of High Court Judges Ramesh Dhakal and Swikriti Parajuli had ordered him into pretrial detention in connection with a case involving fraud and organized crime related to Supreme Cooperative in Butwal.
Last week, the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) conducted a monitoring visit to Rupandehi District Prison and reported extremely poor conditions there. The RSP had been requesting Lamichhane’s transfer for the past three months. The NHRC’s findings had put the government under increased pressure for the transfer.
Director General of the Department of Prison Management, Lila Prasad Sharma, said that the decision to transfer Lamichhane to Nakkhu was made after a formal request by Lamichhane and subsequent court approval.
About a week ago, Lamichhane filed a petition seeking bail under a separate provision of the Criminal Procedure Code. However, the Rupandehi District Court rejected his request last week.
As news of his arrival in the capital city spread, RSP supporters and well-wishers gathered at the domestic terminal of Tribhuvan International Airport. Party activists also assembled outside Nakkhu Prison, chanting slogans in support of Lamichhane.
