KATHMANDU: The Kaski District Court has granted permission to the government to withdraw the charges of organized crime and money laundering filed against Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) President Rabi Lamichhane and others in connection with the Suryadarshan Cooperative embezzlement case.

A single bench of Judge Himlal Belbase on Friday approved an application submitted by the District Government Attorney’s Office, Kaski, seeking an amendment to the initial charge sheet.

With the court’s approval, the prosecution will now proceed solely with the core charge of cooperative fraud, removing the claims of organized crime and money laundering.

The case, where the government stands as the plaintiff, names Gitendra Babu (GB) Rai, Chhabilal Joshi, and Rabi Lamichhane, among others, as defendants.

In its order allowing the amendment of the indictment under Section 36 of the National Criminal Procedure Code, 2017, the court noted that the primary objective of the judicial resolution is to facilitate the swift and seamless return of misappropriated savings to the victim depositors.

The bench observed that maintaining the stringent clauses of organized crime and money laundering could legally complicate and obstruct the process of returning funds or reaching settlements with the complainants.