The government of Nepal has arrested former Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli and ex-Home Minister Ramesh Lekhak in connection with a culpable homicide case related to the suppression of Gen Z protests. The arrests followed a Cabinet decision to act on the recommendations of a commission investigating the events during the Gen Z movement.
Both Oli and Lekhak were taken into custody from their residences in Bhaktapur early Saturday morning. They will be held in police custody until Sunday when the court reopens, as Saturday is a public holiday in Nepal. The arrests were made based on the commission’s report, which suggests charging them under specific sections of the National Penal Code for criminal negligence.
The report also implicates other officials, recommending legal action against them. Oli, upon receiving the arrest warrant, consulted with his lawyers, expressing his intent to challenge the arrest legally. Similarly, Lekhak denounced his arrest as politically motivated and vowed to fight back both politically and legally.
Newly appointed Home Minister Sudhan Gurung clarified that the arrests were not acts of vengeance but aimed at holding those responsible for suppressing protests accountable. He emphasized that the arrests mark the beginning of a new phase in seeking justice for the suppressed protests in Nepal.
