Former Nepal Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli was arrested on Saturday morning over his ‘role’ in the recent GenZ protests. The development came a day after rapper-turned politician Balen Shah took oath — with members of his Cabinet insisting that “nobody was above the law”. The CPN-UML has called an emergency meeting after Oli and former Home Minister Ramesh Lekhak were taken into custody.
A Nepali panel investigated the violent anti-corruption protests from last year and recommended earlier this week that the 74-year-old be prosecuted for failing to prevent the crackdown on the agitation. A total of 76 people were killed in two days of unrest that ultimately led to Oli’s resignation.
The newly formed Nepal government led by Shah had held its first cabinet meeting on Friday — deciding to immediately implement the recommendations made by the probe commission.
“Nobody is above the law. We have taken under control former Prime Minister KP Oli and former Home Minister Ramesh Lekhak. This is not a revenge against anybody, just the beginning of justice. I believe that now the country will take a new direction,” Home Minister Sudhan Gurung wrote on social media after the arrest.