Nepal Court Seeks Explanation for Dropping Money Laundering Case Against Ex-Home Minister

Nepal’s Supreme Court issued a show-cause order to the Attorney General’s Office to explain the withdrawal of money laundering and organized crime charges against former Home Minister Rabi Lamichhane, while keeping cooperative fraud allegations; Lamichhane and the AG must respond within 15 days, with a hearing set for January 22. The decision follows multiple writ petitions challenging the legality of the withdrawal amid political stakes ahead of March 5 elections, as Lamichhane faces several cooperative scam cases and was ordered to post bail by the Parsa District Court.