Court approves 3-day custody for NC Lawmaker Rai

KATHMANDU: Nepali Congress lawmaker Maya Rai has been placed under three-day custody for investigation, following a Kathmandu District Court decision on Sunday.

Rai, who had long been absconding despite an arrest warrant, was apprehended on Saturday evening and immediately taken to the custody of Kathmandu District Police Range at Bhadrakali. She was presented before the court the next day.

The case relates to the embezzlement of funds from Swarnalaxmi Savings and Credit Cooperative at Kalimati, where Rai served as the deputy secretary on the management committee. She faces allegations, alongside others, of misappropriating a staggering Rs 1.19 billion belonging to 690 depositors.

Earlier, Kathmandu District Court had filed a case against 39 individuals over cooperative fraud and organized crime charges, while controversially granting immunity to five people, including Rai — a move that had drawn sharp criticism.