KATHMANDU: The Supreme Court has sought a clarification from the Tulsipur High Court regarding its decision to remand Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) President Rabi Lamichhane into custody.

The request was made by a single bench of Justice Tek Prasad Dhungana on Sunday, following a preliminary hearing. The clarification must provide the legal rationale behind the High Court’s order to detain Lamichhane for trial.

Lamichhane, who is facing charges in the Supreme Cooperative fraud case, had filed a petition at the Supreme Court on Friday challenging the Butwal bench’s order.

He was arrested from his home in Budhanilkantha, Kathmandu, after the High Court’s decision and flown to Butwal. The Rupandehi District Court later issued a detention order, sending him to jail.

Earlier, on Magh 13, the same district court had released Lamichhane on a bail of Rs 10 million, while another accused, Chhabilal Banjade, was remanded to custody.

In total, 42 people have been named as defendants in the cooperative fraud case, which involves the alleged embezzlement of over Rs 550 million. Among them are Lamichhane, Banjade, and GB Rai. The charge sheet claims that the trio jointly established Gorkha Media Pvt. Ltd. and illegally mobilized Rs 109.936 million through the company. GB Rai is currently absconding.