Court allows 3-day detention of Congress Lawmaker Rai for investigation

Kathmandu, April 27

The Kathmandu District Court has granted permission to keep Nepali Congress lawmaker Maya Rai in custody for three days for further investigation.

Rai, who was arrested on Saturday evening, was presented before the court on Sunday. She is currently being held at the Kathmandu District Police Office, Bhadra Kali.

Rai faces allegations of embezzling funds from the Swarnalakshmi Savings and Credit Cooperative based in Kalimati. Despite an arrest warrant issued by the Kathmandu District Court on charges of cooperative fraud and organised crime, she had been on the run for a long time.

Rai had served as an assistant secretary on the board of directors of the Swarnalakshmi Cooperative. There had been widespread criticism over her perceived immunity from legal action in connection with the case.

Although charges have been filed against 39 individuals in the case, Rai and four others were controversially exempted. The accused, including Rai, are alleged to have misappropriated a total of Rs 1.19 billion from 690 depositors.

Rai is a proportional representation lawmaker and a central committee member of the Nepali Congress, affiliated with the faction led by party president Sher Bahadur Deuba.

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