Police Raid Former DIG Joshi’s Residence in Embezzlement Probe

Authorities conducted a raid on the residence of Chabilal Joshi, founder of Gorkha Media Network (Galaxy Television), as part of an investigation into the alleged illegal embezzlement of loans from the Suryadarshan Savings and Loan Cooperative Society of Pokhara.

Acting on a request from the District Police Office Kaski, the District Police Range Kathmandu seized a hard drive containing software that houses the accounts of the cooperative from Joshi’s residence in Shankhamool.

According to police officials, all operations of the Suryadarshan Savings and Loan Cooperative were conducted from Kathmandu, with only the office and some common documents remaining in Pokhara. “Kaski police requested to take control of the details and software here. We have taken control of some details,” they stated.

Gitendrababu (GB) Rai, former DIG Joshi, and former media personality Rabi Lamichhane were partners in Gorkha Media Network. Rai held the position of president with a 50 percent stake, Joshi was the vice president with 35 percent shares, and Lamichhane served as the managing director with 15 percent shares when the shares were registered at the company registrar’s office in May 2078. In October 2023, Lamichhane sold shares worth 42 million rupees to Rai and departed from the company.

Preliminary investigations suggest that the GB group, which has established cooperatives in major cities such as Pokhara, Chitwan, Birgunj, Butwal, Nepalgunj, and Kathmandu, is allegedly involved in embezzling over 7.6 billion rupees from approximately 49 thousand individuals.