KATHMANDU, April 7: The Butwal High Court has ordered the detention of Rabi Lamichhane, chairman of the Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP), for further investigation in a cooperative fraud case. While Lamichhane has been sent to jail, Gitendrababu (GB) Rai, accused in the same case, remains at large. Despite police efforts to arrest Lamichhane, the RSP has criticized the government for failing to pursue Rai's whereabouts.
The police recently reported that Rai is in Malaysia. During Lamichhane's tenure as Home Minister, authorities made efforts to coordinate with the Malaysian government to bring him back to Nepal. Current Home Minister Ramesh Lekhak also instructed the police to collaborate with Malaysian authorities. Additionally, the government released a Malaysian citizen from Nepal's prison through legal procedures. However, the government has yet to bring Rai back. Currently, the police headquarters remains uncertain about his location.
A high-level police source has revealed that GB Rai is currently traveling between Malaysia and Vanuatu. In the beautiful Pacific island nation of Vanuatu, individuals can obtain citizenship by paying $155,000 and completing some legal procedures. "After the Kaski District Court ordered the Nepal government to revoke his passport, we suspect he has obtained Vanuatu's passport," the source stated. Vanuatu also hosts associations of non-residential Nepalis and other Nepali organizations.
Vanuatu, a small island nation in the South Pacific Ocean, has a population of about 300,000. It gained independence from France and Britain in 1980. Vanuatu offers citizenship through investment to individuals worldwide. Media reports indicate that to obtain citizenship in Vanuatu, one must pay a minimum of $155,000. In return for the investment, applicants can receive citizenship within 30-60 days. According to these reports, the revenue generated from selling citizenship contributes to 30 percent of Vanuatu's total revenue.
India ranks 80th among the countries with the most powerful passports in the world, while Vanuatu, a small country, holds the 51st position, ahead of Saudi Arabia and China. The Vanuatu passport grants visa-free entry to 113 countries worldwide, which is why the police suspect that Rai may have traveled there.
As a part of the effort to bring Rai back to Nepal, the Nepal Police wrote to the government, requesting the revocation of his passport. Despite sending a team led by an SP to Malaysia to arrest him, they failed to capture him. The police then wrote to the Department of Passport to revoke Rai's passport. When the department did not act, the District Government Attorney's Office in Kaski filed a petition in court. The Kaski District Court then ordered the revocation of GB Rai's passport. On January 17, Judge Himal Belbase's bench directed the Department of Passport to revoke Rai's passport.
After accusing GB Rai of embezzling billions of rupees from a cooperative, the police wrote to the Passport Department on May 14, 2024 to revoke his passport. Before this, the Kaski District Police Office's Crime Investigation Branch had requested the Department of Passport to cancel Rai's passport. Additionally, the Interpol branch issued a Red Corner Notice to bring Rai back to Nepal. The police stated that he was in Malaysia at the time and could potentially flee to another country, prompting them to urge the revocation of his passport. They also asked for the information about the revocation to be sent to the Malaysian Embassy, the Police Headquarters, the Interpol branch in Naxal, and the District Police Office.
The letter stated, "The authorities must immediately take the main defendant, GB Rai, into police custody for investigation. If they do not apprehend him right away, he may destroy or conceal evidence related to the case, or he may flee from Malaysia, where he is currently residing, to other countries. Therefore, in accordance with the Passport Act 2076 BS, the authorities should revoke his Nepali passport number 11698727 to facilitate his return to Nepal through an Extradition treaty. Relevant documents are attached with this letter. Upon receiving the documents, we request that, in accordance with the law, the authorities cancel the defendant's passport and forward the information to the Malaysian Embassy, the concerned Police Headquarters, the Interpol branch in Kathmandu, and this office.
Rai served as the chairman of Gorkha Media Network. Authorities have accused him of embezzling funds from five cooperatives. He is linked to the Swarna Laxmi Cooperative in Kathmandu, Sahara Chitwan in Chitwan, Suprim Cooperative in Rupandehi, Sano Paila in Birgunj, and Surydarshan Cooperative in Kaski. The Kaski and Kathmandu District Courts have filed legal cases against him. Rai's business partner, Rabi Lamichhane, was released on bail by three courts but was sent to jail by the Butwal High Court.