The Ditible
The Supreme Court is scheduled to hear a significant writ petition seeking the suspension of Home Minister Rabi Lamichhane on Friday. A joint bench of Judges Sapana Pradan Malla and Sharanga Subedi will conduct the hearing.
The case garnered substantial public interest and was previously slated for a hearing on Tuesday. However, it was postponed as Judge Manoj Kumar Sharma, who was part of the initial bench with Judge Binod Sharma, had previously ruled on the matter, necessitating a change in the judicial panel.
Earlier, Justices Manoj Kumar Sharma and Til Prasad Shrestha had ordered the summoning of the charge sheet filed in the Rupandehi District Court. This charge sheet is crucial to the petition for Lamichhane’s suspension, as it addresses allegations of cooperative fraud involving GB Rai.
The writ petition, filed by Advocate Anupama Bhattarai, seeks to suspend Lamichhane from his ministerial position. The petition underscores Lamichhane’s involvement in the charge sheet and details loans he allegedly took, which are central to the cooperative fraud dispute. Bhattarai’s petition also calls into question a letter from the Attorney General’s Office that claimed no case of cooperative fraud existed against Lamichhane.
Respondents named in the writ include the Attorney General’s Office, Attorney General Dinmani Pokharel, and Home Minister Lamichhane himself. Bhattarai contends that Lamichhane’s dual roles as Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister could unduly influence the investigation, thereby violating principles of natural justice.
To mitigate potential conflicts of interest and uphold the integrity of the investigation, Bhattarai has requested an interim order to suspend Lamichhane from his ministerial duties. This request has been directed to the Government of Nepal, the Prime Minister, and the Council of Ministers.
The Supreme Court’s decision on this matter is eagerly awaited, as it holds significant implications for governance and legal accountability in Nepal.
