Former Nepal Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli and former home minister Ramesh Lekhak were arrested on Saturday in connection with a culpable homicide case linked to the alleged crackdown on the September Gen Z protests, police said.
Oli was taken into custody from his residence in Gundu, Bhaktapur, while Lekhak was arrested earlier in the morning from Suryabinayak, also in Bhaktapur, around 5 am, according to his personal secretary.
The arrests followed a formal complaint by the home ministry, which triggered an investigation and the issuance of warrants. Authorities said the move was based on recommendations from a commission led by former Special Court judge Gauri Bahadur Karki, as reported by the Kathmandu Post.
The panel recommended that Oli, Lekhak and then inspector general of police Chandra Kuber Khapung be charged under Sections 181 and 182 of Nepal’s National Penal Code for criminal negligence, which carries a maximum sentence of 10 years.
It also proposed legal action against several other officials, including then home secretary Gokarna Mani Dawadi, Armed Police Force chief Raju Aryal, former National Investigation Department head Hutaraj Thapa and then Kathmandu chief district officer Chhabi Rijal. Other officials found responsible should be dealt with under relevant institutional laws, the report said.
In addition, the commission suggested formal reprimands for senior police officials, including current inspector general Dan Bahadur Karki and Armed Police Force official Narayan Dutta Poudel — a move legal experts say could affect their future promotions.
The commission attributed the violent suppression of the youth-led protests to criminal negligence and recklessness, citing failure to act on prior intelligence warnings. The unrest left 77 people dead and caused property damage worth billions.
Security was tightened across the Kathmandu Valley during the arrests, with teams from the Bhaktapur District Police Range and the Kathmandu Valley Police Office deployed. Senior officials, including Home Secretary Raj Kumar Shrestha and Law Secretary Parashwor Dhungana, held consultations with police ahead of the operation, while Home Minister Sudhan Gurung chaired late-night security meetings on Friday.
The arrests came a day after Balendra Shah was sworn in as Nepal’s Prime Minister. The 35-year-old leader of the Rastriya Swatantra Party assumed office under Article 76(1) of the Constitution after his party emerged as the largest in the March 5 parliamentary elections.
The swearing-in ceremony was held at the President’s Office in Sheetal Niwas and administered by President Ramchandra Paudel.
Shah, the youngest Prime Minister in Nepal’s history and the first from the Madheshi community to hold the post, has gained prominence for his strong anti-establishment stance and focus on governance reforms.
Following his appointment, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated Shah and expressed hope for closer India-Nepal ties.
