Kathmandu, March 28

The Supreme Court today ordered the government to produce Hemanta Prakash Oli, a Standing Committee member of the Netra Bikram Chand-led Communist Party of Nepal, before the court within three days.

A single bench of Chief Justice Cholendra Shumsher JB Rana issued the order to the government in response to a petition for a writ of habeas corpus filed by Bipana Oli seeking his Oli’s release from the police custody.

Oli and eight other cadres of the Chand-led outfit were arrested by the police on March 23 and they remain in police custody since. Police have charged Oli and other cadres of the banned outfit under homicide and organised crime laws.

The SC also issued a show cause notice to the government for arresting Oli. The petitioner had field the writ petition at the apex court yesterday.  The government has intensified its crackdown on Chand-led outfit after it outlawed the party on March 12 and banned its activities. Chand-led outfit has, however, vowed to protest the government crackdown.