Former Prime Minister K.P. Sharma Oli has been arrested in Nepal in connection with the crackdown on a Gen Z protest last year that resulted in numerous fatalities. The arrest follows the new government’s decision to implement the findings of a probe commission established to investigate the incident.
The Chenab Times has learned that Oli, also the chairman of the CPN-UML party, was apprehended in the Gundu area of Bhaktapur district, east of the capital Kathmandu. Police confirmed the arrest of Oli and former Home Minister Ramesh Lekhak, who was taken from his residence in Suryabinayak Municipality, also in Bhaktapur.
Both individuals are facing charges related to their alleged involvement in suppressing the Gen Z movement, which occurred on September 8 and 9 of the previous year. Official reports indicate that 76 people, including approximately two dozen youths, died during the protests.
The probe commission, tasked with investigating the events surrounding the movement, recommended legal action against Oli and Lekhak, among others, for criminal offenses. In its first cabinet meeting on Friday, the newly formed government led by Prime Minister Balendra Shah resolved to immediately enact the commission’s recommendations.
Home Minister Sudhan Gurung stated on social media following the arrests, “Nobody is above the law.” He added, “We have taken under control former Prime Minister KP Oli and former Home Minister Ramesh Lekhak. This is not a revenge against anybody, just the beginning of justice.” Gurung expressed his belief that the country would “take a new direction” following these actions.
Both Oli and Lekhak have been transferred to the Kathmandu District Police Circle in Bhadrakali for detention. The probe commission has recommended a prison sentence ranging from three to ten years for the offenses.
A senior police officer at the Kathmandu District Police Circle informed PTI that the arrested individuals would be presented before the Kathmandu District Court on Sunday, as Saturday is a public holiday. The investigation process in the case is expected to commence thereafter. K.P. Oli was taken to Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital for a medical examination shortly after his detention, a procedure described by police as part of the legal investigation process.
Meanwhile, the CPN-UML party has convened an emergency meeting of its secretariat at its central office in Lalitpur to discuss the current political developments.
The Chenab Times News Desk