In a dramatic turn of events in Nepal’s political arena, former Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli and former Home Minister Ramesh Lekhak have been arrested within a day of the swearing-in of new Prime Minister Balendra Shah.
Kathmandu Valley Police arrested them from their respective residences in the Bhaktapur area of the capital Kathmandu early Saturday morning.
Police said the action was taken based on the recommendations of an inquiry commission headed by former special court judge Gauri Bahadur Karki. Authorities claim that the arrests were carried out following full legal procedures.
In September 2025, widespread public protests began in Nepal over allegations of corruption against the Oli government, which quickly turned violent. The then Prime Minister Oli ordered law enforcement to take strict measures to suppress the movement. At that time, Ramesh Lakhak was the Home Minister. At the peak of the conflict, especially on 8 and 9 September, at least 70 people were killed in violence across the country.
Faced with mounting public pressure and instability, Oli was forced to resign on September 11; Lekhak had also resigned earlier. An interim government was later formed and a commission was formed to investigate the violence.
After the arrest, Home Minister Sudan Gurung said in a message on social media that this was not revenge, but the implementation of the promise to establish the rule of law. In his words, “no one is above the law.”
According to observers, the arrest could mark the beginning of a new chapter in Nepal’s political climate, with signs of a tougher crackdown on past violence and accountability.