Rabi Lamichhane, the president of the National Independent Party (Raswapa), has filed a habeas corpus petition claiming his detention is illegal. The petition will be heard by a joint bench at the Supreme Court.
Initial Hearing and Further Action
On Tuesday, Justice Abdul Aziz Muslim of the Supreme Court initially heard the case and directed the habeas corpus petition to be sent for a joint bench hearing after preliminary consideration.
Background of Rabi Lamichhane’s Arrest
Ravi Lamichhane was ordered to remain in custody on March 22 by the Higher Court of Tulsipur in Rupandehi, following allegations of embezzling funds from the Supreme Cooperative Institution’s savings in Butwal. Since then, he has been held at the Bhairahawa Jail.
Petition Filed by Rabi’s Wife, Nikita Paudel
Rabi’s wife, Nikita Paudel, filed the habeas corpus petition at the Supreme Court on Sunday, arguing that Rabi has been unlawfully detained. She requested the court to review the legality of his detention.
Previous Court Orders Regarding Ravb’s Bail
Earlier, on January 13, the Rupandehi District Court had ordered Ravi to be released on a bail of one crore rupees. However, both the government attorney’s office and Ravi’s legal team appealed the decision. Ravi’s team requested a simple court date, while the government attorney’s office insisted on his continued detention.
Rabi’s Petition Against Detention Order
On March 22, Rabi Lamichhane filed a petition in the Supreme Court against the High Court’s order to keep him in custody. After initial review, the Supreme Court directed the authorities to send the digital records of the orders from the High Court in Butwal and the Bhairahawa District Court.
