Mar 19, Kathmandu - The Supreme Court has wrapped up the hearing on petitions challenging the decision to amend charges against Rabi Lamichhane, Chairman of the Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP), related to asset laundering and organized crime.

The hearing was conducted before a joint panel of Justices Sharanga Subedi and Sunil Kumar Pokhrel. It concluded on Thursday, Chaitra 5, after senior advocates Dine Tripathi and Tikaram Bhatta responded on behalf of the petitioner.

The Attorney General’s Office had filed three separate petitions opposing the amendment of the cases. The legal dispute arose after the Attorney General, Sabita Bhandari Baral, issued directives to district prosecutors to amend the organized crime and asset-laundering cases filed against Lamichhane in courts across Kathmandu, Kaski, Parsa, and Rupandehi. This decision followed her directive to the district government attorneys, which sparked controversy.

On Paush 30, the Attorney General had instructed the district prosecutors via letter to proceed solely with charges of cooperative fraud against Lamichhane, leading to the current legal debate.