Nepal's Supreme Court Denies Bail to Former PM K P Sharma Oli Amid Protests

Supreme Court's Decision on K P Sharma Oli

Kathmandu: On Monday, the Supreme Court of Nepal declined to grant interim relief to former Prime Minister K P Sharma Oli, who was detained following the crackdown on the Gen Z movement in 2025. Protests erupted across Nepal in response to his arrest.

Oli, along with former Home Minister Ramesh Lekhak, was taken into custody on Saturday due to their alleged roles in suppressing the Gen Z protests that resulted in 76 fatalities on September 8 and 9 of the previous year.

In reaction to a habeas corpus petition submitted by Oli's spouse, Radhika Shakya, asserting that his detention was unlawful, Justice Meghraj Pokharel's single bench refused to issue an interim release order.

Instead, the court instructed the authorities to provide a written justification for the legal basis of his detention.

A similar ruling was made regarding the habeas corpus petition for Ramesh Lekhak.

These arrests followed the Balendra Shah government's decision to act on the findings of the investigation into the Gen Z protests during its inaugural cabinet meeting.

On Monday morning, hundreds of supporters from Oli's Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Marxist-Leninist) and affiliated organizations gathered in the Naya Baneshwor area, holding signs that demanded, "Release KP Oli immediately," and "Stop the politics of revenge."

The protest on Monday was relatively calm compared to the demonstrations held by the party over the weekend, which saw clashes with riot police resulting in injuries to several UML members.

Oli and Lekhak have been placed in judicial custody for five days by the Kathmandu District Court. Currently, Oli is receiving medical care at Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital in Maharajgunj, Kathmandu, as his health has worsened since his arrest.

In a separate development, Nepal's Department of Money Laundering Investigation (DMLI) and police have intensified their investigation into former Prime Ministers Sher Bahadur Deuba, K P Sharma Oli, and Pushpa Kamal Dahal following the arrest of former minister Deepak Khadka.

The DMLI had conducted preliminary inquiries for nearly six months before escalating the case to a detailed investigation due to identified discrepancies.

Deepak Khadka, who was arrested on Sunday in connection with a money laundering case, was also admitted to Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital on Monday after experiencing health issues.

He faces allegations of receiving illicit financial benefits in exchange for facilitating licenses and contracts during his tenure as Minister for Energy, Water Resources, and Irrigation.

During the Gen Z protests last year, images and videos emerged showing burnt banknotes at the residences of Khadka and former Prime Ministers Sher Bahadur Deuba and Pushpa Kamal Dahal, with forensic tests later confirming these findings.