The Kathmandu District Court has issued an arrest warrant against former Nepali Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba and his wife, former Foreign Minister Arzu Rana Deuba, in connection with a money-laundering investigation. The warrants were approved by Judge Mahendra Khadka following a request from the Department of Money Laundering Investigation. This action is part of an investigation that also involves former Prime Ministers K P Sharma Oli and Pushpa Kamal Dahal on money laundering allegations.
Videos and images of burnt cash from the residences of Deuba, Prachanda’s daughter, and former Energy Minister Deepak Khadka circulated widely on social media during the Gen-Z movement in September last year. Forensic tests confirmed the currency fragments were genuine, sparking a full-scale investigation amid suspicions of artificial intelligence manipulation. Despite the arrest warrant, Deuba and his wife are currently out of the country, having traveled to Singapore for medical treatment in February and reportedly moving on to Hong Kong.
Sources revealed that the arrest warrant is a step towards seeking an Interpol Red Notice to facilitate the couple’s return to Nepal. Deuba, a five-time Prime Minister, has been a key figure in Nepali politics since 1991, winning elections from his home district. However, he did not contest the recent House of Representatives elections after being removed as Nepali Congress President. The political landscape has shifted, with a new government launching a probe into the Deuba couple’s activities, making their return uncertain.
