The Supreme Court of Nepal has kept the writ petition against the decision to withdraw charges against Rabi Lamichhane “under consideration” (hearda-heardai).
A joint bench of Justices Binod Sharma and Abdul Aziz Musalman could not conclude the hearing on Monday, and the case will continue on Tuesday.
On Monday, senior advocate Dinesh Tripathi, representing the petitioners, presented arguments. Following the completion of the petitioner’s side, arguments from the defendants will proceed in the next hearing.
Attorney General Sabita Bhandari Baral had earlier decided to withdraw charges of organized crime and money laundering against Lamichhane. The writ petition was filed by Yubraj Safal, Dinesh Tripathi, and advocate Abhas Regmi, demanding that the decision be annulled.
The case had already undergone four days of hearings. Earlier, a joint bench of Justices Sharanga Subedi and Sunil Pokharel had ordered the Attorney General’s Office to present documents related to the decision made on Magh 2, including revisions to the charge sheet.
Initially, the Attorney General’s Office had amended only Lamichhane’s charge sheet, removing charges related to organized crime and money laundering. Later, on Magh 2, it decided not to press charges—other than cooperative fraud—against all defendants linked to the cooperative case.
The bench had also noted that the copy of the decision was not included in the case file and ordered all संबंधित documents to be submitted before scheduling further hearings.
Following the Attorney General’s directive, four District Government Attorney Offices have already filed applications in respective district courts to amend the charge sheets. However, district courts have deferred decisions, stating that they will wait for the Supreme Court’s final verdict on the writ petition.
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