KATHMANDU, MARCH 28

Police have arrested former Prime Minister and CPN-UML Chairman KP Sharma Oli, as well as former Home Minister Ramesh Lekhak, for allegedly cracking down on the Gen Z protest on September 8 and 9, last year.

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Following their arrest, Home Minister Sudan Gurung posted on his Facebook page, "PROMISE IS A PROMISE: No one is above the law. We have detained former Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli and outgoing Home Minister Ramesh Lekhak. This is not vengeance against anyone; it is simply the beginning of justice. I believe the country is now headed in a new direction."

Oli was arrested early this morning at his Gundu home. Since last night, a police team has been attempting to arrest Oli at his home in Gundu.

Police arrested Ramesh Lekhak, the then-home minister of the Oli-led government, this morning at his home in Kutunje, Bhaktapur.

A white vehicle transports former Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli after he was taken into police custody from his residence in Gundu as part of an ongoing political and legal dispute linked to the September Gen Z protests last year, in Kathmandu, Nepal, on Saturday, March 28, 2026. Photo: Skanda Gautam/THT
A white vehicle transports former Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli after he was taken into police custody from his residence in Gundu as part of an ongoing political and legal dispute linked to the September Gen Z protests last year, in Kathmandu, Nepal, on Saturday, March 28, 2026. Photo: Skanda Gautam/THT

The police have arrested Oli and Lekhak in connection with allegations of involvement in the Gen Z movement, which killed 19 people on September 8.

For the first time in Nepal's history, the chief executive has been detained on suspicion of murder. In the past, former prime ministers were not detained in relation to the investigation of criminal complaints, but they were under police control in certain instances of political incidents and protests.

Former Prime Minister Oli, then-Home Minister Ramesh Lekhak, former Inspector General of Police Chandrakuber Khapung, and others were detained on suspicion of violating Section 182 of the Criminal Code 2017, according to the Commission of Inquiry report that was made public in the media three days ago.

The clause states that "negligent killing shall not be permitted." Negligent killing carries a maximum sentence of three years in prison and a maximum fine of thirty thousand rupees.

A white vehicle transports former Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli after he was taken into police custody from his residence in Gundu as part of an ongoing political and legal dispute linked to the September Gen Z protests last year, in Kathmandu, Nepal, on Saturday, March 28, 2026. Photo: Skanda Gautam/THT
A white vehicle transports former Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli after he was taken into police custody from his residence in Gundu as part of an ongoing political and legal dispute linked to the September Gen Z protests last year, in Kathmandu, Nepal, on Saturday, March 28, 2026. Photo: Skanda Gautam/THT

Within hours of newly appointed Prime Minister Balendra (Balen) Shah taking the oath of office, a cabinet meeting decided to implement the Gauri Bahadur Karki-led inquiry commission's report, with the exception of security personnel.

Home Minister Sudan Gurung had instructed the police to look into the September 8 incident before the cabinet decision was confirmed. Law Secretary Parashwor Dhungana then spent the entire night putting the commission's report into practice and drafting the necessary correspondence.