Kathmandu, 29 March (H.S.):

Nepali Congress leader and former Energy Minister Deepak Khadka was arrested by police Sunday morning from his Budhanilkantha residence over alleged illegal land grab and ongoing money laundering investigations the Central Investigation Bureau confirmed.

The CIB acting on a request from the Money Laundering Investigation Department nabbed Khadka who served as energy minister under the Oli government. Authorities recovered massive cash from his home during last year's Gen Z protests with a viral video showing money flying amid arson.

A close ally of ex-PM Sher Bahadur Deuba and business partner to his wife Dr Arzu Rana Deuba Khadka also owns a five-star resort in Budhanilkantha managed by Holiday Inn Group.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar