Oli’s party calls the move politically motivated while government says law will take its course
Former Nepal Prime Minister K. P. Sharma Oli was arrested on Saturday in connection with a culpable homicide-related case linked to the alleged suppression of last year’s Gen Z protests. The development comes a day after Balendra Shah took oath as Nepal’s new prime minister.
According to police officials, Oli was taken into custody from his residence in Bhaktapur, near Kathmandu, by the Nepal Police. Former Home Minister Ramesh Lekhak was also detained in connection with the same case.
Authorities said the arrests relate to an investigation into the deaths of students during the 2025 Gen Z-led anti-corruption protests, when police opened fire on demonstrators. According to a report by The Kathmandu Post, the case concerns alleged culpable homicide linked to the suppression of the protests.
Kathmandu Valley police spokesperson Om Adhikari confirmed the arrests, saying the two leaders had been taken into custody and that further legal proceedings would follow in accordance with the law.
#WATCH | Former Nepal Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli taken into custody from his residence in Gundu, Bhaktapur, by Nepal Police.
According to the Kathmandu Post, “he has been arrested in connection with a culpable homicide-related case linked to the alleged suppression of the… pic.twitter.com/S0zrAmPUFV
— ANI (@ANI) March 28, 2026
The arrests were reportedly made following the recommendations of an inquiry commission established to investigate the deaths of students during the protests. The commission’s report held certain political leaders responsible for the police action. The decision to implement the commission’s findings was taken during the first cabinet meeting chaired by Prime Minister Balendra Shah.
While the inquiry report also raised questions about the conduct of some officials within the Nepal Police, the Armed Police Force, and the army, no direct action has yet been announced against security personnel.
Reacting to the arrests, newly appointed Home Minister Sudan Gurung said the move was part of ensuring accountability.
In a post on X, he wrote that “a promise is a promise” and that “no one is above the law,” adding that the arrests were not an act of revenge but the beginning of a legal process aimed at delivering justice.
Meanwhile, the Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Marxist–Leninist) (CPN-UML), led by Oli, criticised the action and questioned the basis of the investigation report. Party leaders argued that the findings did not provide sufficient grounds for the former prime minister’s arrest and suggested the move was politically motivated.
Senior party leader and former foreign minister Pradeep Gyawali described the arrest as “political revenge” against the party’s chairman. Following the development, the CPN-UML called an emergency meeting of its secretariat to discuss the situation.
Police officials said the arrests were carried out after a formal complaint was filed by the Home Ministry, leading to the issuance of arrest warrants. The investigation is based on the recommendations of a commission headed by former Special Court judge Gauri Bahadur Karki.
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