Former Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli and former Home Minister Ramesh Lekhak were arrested the day after Nepal’s new Prime Minister Balendra Shah took his oath of office. On Saturday (March 28) morning, Nepal’s law enforcement agency, the Kathmandu Valley Police, arrested them from their respective residences in the Bhaktapur area of the capital Kathmandu.

Om Adhikari, spokesperson for the Kathmandu Valley Police, confirmed this information to journalists, stating that the two individuals were arrested strictly following legal procedures, based on the recommendations of a commission led by Gauri Bahadur Karki, a former judge of Nepal’s special court.

In September 2025, Nepal witnessed widespread Gen-Z protests against the government led by former Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli, citing corruption allegations. Prime Minister Oli had instructed law enforcement agencies to take a strict stance to quell the demonstrations. At that time, Ramesh Lekhak was Nepal’s Home Minister.

During the September protests, there were widespread clashes between the public and law enforcement agencies. The conflict intensified most on September 8 and 9. In these two days, at least 70 people were killed in Nepal, 19 of whom were protestors.

Failing to contain the widespread public unrest, KP Sharma Oli resigned on the 11th. Ramesh Lekhak had resigned even earlier.

Following his resignation, an interim government was formed, headed by Nepal’s former Chief Justice Sushila Karki. Under that government, a commission was also constituted, led by former Special Judge Gauri Bahadur Karki, to investigate the public protests and the uprising.

Nepal’s interim government stepped down after general elections were held on January 5. Balendra Shah, also known as Balen Shah, won the election and became Nepal’s new Prime Minister. Balen is the youngest Prime Minister in Nepal’s history, at 35 years old, and he is the leader of the Nepali political party Rashtriya Swatantra Party.

Following the arrest of KP Sharma Oli and Ramesh Lekhak, Sudan Gurung, Home Minister of Balen Shah’s government, stated in a post on social media platform X, “This is not revenge, but the fulfillment of a promise. We promised justice, and its implementation has begun. No one is above the law.”

Source: Firstpost.