Writ petition against dismissal of charges against Ravi

. Kathmandu: A writ petition has been filed at the Supreme Court challenging the decision of the Office of the Attorney General to drop the charge of ‘money laundering’ and ‘organised crime’ against Rastriya Swatantra Party President and former home minister Rabi Lamichhane.

A division bench of Justices Manoj Kumar Sharma and Bal Krishna Dhakal issued the order for hearing on Thursday.TAG_OPEN_p_7 Earlier, a single bench of Justice Abdul Aziz Muslim had sought a written response from the Office of the Attorney General.

Senior advocate Dinesh Tripathi, law students Aayush Badal and Yubaraj Poudel have filed a writ petition calling the decision of the Office of the Attorney General ‘illegal, ill-intentioned and arbitrary’.TAG_OPEN_p_6

The Attorney General had decided to amend the cases filed against Lamichhane at the Kaski, Kathmandu, Rupandehi and Parsa district courts on January 13, 2002.TAG_OPEN_p_5 The writ petitioners have sought quashing of the decision terming it as fraudulent application of law.

The writ states that there is a risk that Nepal will be blacklisted by the International Financial Action Task Force by giving immunity for serious economic crimes such as money laundering and causing irreparable damage to the country.TAG_OPEN_p_4 At the same time, it has warned that the right of thousands of savers to seek justice will be affected.