Kathmandu — Nepal’s Home Minister Sudan Gurung has described the detention of former Prime Minister K. P. Sharma Oli and former Home Minister Ramesh Lekhak as a lawful step toward justice, rejecting claims of political retaliation.
“We have taken former Prime Minister K.P. Sharma Oli and former Home Minister Ramesh Lekhak into custody. This is not an act of revenge, but the beginning of justice. I believe the country will now move in a new direction,” Gurung said.
The two leaders were detained early Saturday based on recommendations from an investigation commission led by Gauri Bahadur Karki, which examined incidents that occurred on Bhadra 23 and 24.
Kathmandu District Police Range chief, Senior Superintendent of Police Ramesh Thapa, confirmed that both individuals were taken into custody and brought to the police office for further investigation.
Before his arrest, K. P. Sharma Oli had called senior advocates Ramesh Badal and Tikaram Bhattarai to his residence. Leaders and supporters of CPN-UML attempted to prevent police from entering the residence, resulting in brief scuffles. Party members alleged that police used force during the confrontation.
CPN-UML central member Ram Kumari Jhakri said police had arrived with the required legal authorization. The Cabinet had decided on Friday to implement the commission’s report, after which Home Minister Gurung held consultations with security officials before the arrests were carried out.
