KATHMANDU: The Office of the Attorney General (OAG) has attracted criticism for issuing a letter stating that there are no cases against Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Home Affairs Rabi Lamichhane in cooperative fraud cases. This letter, issued upon Lamichhane's request to clarify allegations he faced, is the first of its kind favoring him. The OAG spokesperson, Surya Raj Dahal, stated that the letter was issued respecting citizens' right to information, although such letters had never been issued before.
While officials at the OAG clarified that the letter neither absolves nor prohibits any potential legal action against Lamichhane, critics argue that the OAG has set a troubling precedent. Baburam Kunwar, a former attorney general, expressed concern, stating that the OAG's role should not involve issuing such letters and that it sets a wrong precedent.
The issuance of the letter comes amid demands from the Nepali Congress for a parliamentary investigation into fraud charges against Lamichhane. Despite previous assertions by the Nepal Police chief that there were no cases against Lamichhane regarding cooperative funds scams, the OAG's letter has further bolstered his defense.
Observers warn against politicization of state agencies and stress the importance of upholding the sanctity of institutions such as the attorney general's office. The attorney general holds a constitutional position with significant responsibilities and must maintain the dignity and integrity of the institution, regardless of political pressures.
In a previous instance, the OAG had cleared Lamichhane of any wrongdoing in a case involving possession of dual passports. The decision was made after investigations by the Nepal Police, which found no evidence of misuse of the Nepali passport obtained by Lamichhane in 2015, despite his US citizenship at the time.
