KATHMANDU: The President of the Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) has approached the High Court demanding cancellation of bail in the Surya Darshan Cooperative fraud case in Pokhara.

Rabi, who was released on bail of Rs 6.5 million by the bench of Judge Nitij Rai when a claim of about Rs 280 million was being made in the cooperative fraud, organized crime and money laundering case, has now approached the High Court.

The government has already approached the High Court in this case. A single bench of Justice Raju Kumar Khatiwada had ordered the submission of the plea report within 15 days in the case filed by the High Government Attorney’s Office against the district’s order.

The District Court, Kaski, had sought Rs 6.5 million from Lamichhane, Rs 8.8 million from his partner, former DIG Chhabilal Joshi, Rs 1.5 million from his associate Ram Bahadur Khanal, and Rs 3.7 million from Gitendra Babu Rai’s associate Leela Pachai.

A bail of Rs 5 million was sought from Suryadarshan Cooperative’s founding chairperson and former UML MP Meena Gurung, Rs 1 million from founding vice-chairperson Krishna Bahadur Gurung, and Rs 5 million from Treasurer Aarti Gurung. All of them have been released on bail.

However, expressing dissatisfaction with the order, the Government Attorney’s Office had filed an appeal in the High Court. The Government Attorney’s Office has demanded that all seven defendants be kept in custody and be tried.

After the petition seeking quashing of the district’s order, an order has been issued to seek a report from the High Court. The process will progress after the district sends the report. Since Ravi has also filed a writ petition against the district’s order, the higher court can decide this case by keeping it in one place.