Himal Press 
RSP President Rabi Lamichhane
KATHMANDU: The Supreme Court has upheld the Tulsipur High Court’s decision to detain Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) President Rabi Lamichhane in judicial custody in connection with the Supreme Cooperative’s deposit embezzlement case.
A division bench of Justices Dr Nahakul Subedi and Bal Krishna Dhakal on Friday dismissed a habeas corpus petition filed by Lamichhane’s spouse Nikita Paudel and ordered that Lamichhane be held in custody until a final verdict is passed.
Poudel registered the petition on April 20.
Although the Rupandehi District Court had earlier released Lamichhane on bail of Rs 10 million in a cooperative fraud case, the Butwal Bench of the Tulsiapur High Court had ordered to detain him on April 4. A joint bench of High Court Judges Ramesh Dhakal and Swikriti Parajuli had overturned the district court’s order to release Lamichhane on bail. Immediately after the high court’s order, police had arrested Lamichhane from his home in Budhanilkantha, Kathmandu.
He has since been held in Rupandehi Prison.
Lamichhane was arrested for embezzlement of deposits from the Supreme Cooperative, Butwal.
A large number of supporters had gathered outside the Supreme Court building in Kathmandu and the Rupandehi District Court, anticipating Lamichhane’s release.
