Suspect Arrested in Kumari Multipurpose Cooperative Embezzlement Case

Police have arrested Lokesh Pun, a former board member of Kumari Multipurpose Cooperative Limited, for his alleged involvement in the embezzlement of Rs 1.49 billion from the institution. Pun, a resident of Beni Municipality-4, was taken into custody and presented before the District Court on Thursday, which extended his detention until February 25 for further investigation.

According to Police Inspector Sagar Paudel, Pun will be presented in court alongside five others previously arrested in connection with the case. A report by the Cooperative Registrar’s Office in Pokhara revealed that funds belonging to approximately 6,000 depositors were misappropriated.

Authorities continue to investigate the large-scale financial fraud, which has raised serious concerns about the governance and regulation of cooperatives in the region.