KATHMANDU: The cooperative fraud and organized crime case involving Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) president Rabi Lamichhane and former Gorkha Media operator Chhabilal Joshi is being heard today.

The hearing is scheduled at the Butwal bench of the Tulsipur High Court in Dang, before judges Om Prakash Aryal and Tej Narayan Paudel.

Earlier, a joint bench of judges Milan Kumar Rai and Om Prakash Aryal had ordered that both Lamichhane’s and Joshi’s cases be heard together, as they were of the same nature.

Lamichhane had requested permission to contest the case from outside detention after depositing the amount equivalent to his alleged liability.

The Rupandehi District Court had rejected his plea, prompting him to appeal to the High Court. He has already submitted a bank guarantee covering the disputed amount.