Kathmandu, 09 April (H.S.): Nepal's former Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli and ex-Home Minister Ramesh Lekhak were released on bail by police today, following a Supreme Court directive amid an investigation into their alleged negligence during a fatal 2025 shooting incident.
Kathmandu Police SSP Ramesh Thapa confirmed the release, executed per court instructions, with Oli handed over to his wife Radhika Shakya and Lekhak to his spouse Yashoda Lekhak. The court emphasized expediting the probe given Oli's serious health concerns, noting their arrests on March 28 after a probe commission implicated them in failing to halt gunfire that killed protesters on September 8, 2025. Justices Vinod Sharma and Sunil Kumar Pokhrel ruled the extended five-day detention lawful but mandated a prompt decision on prosecution.
The duo faced charges under Nepal's Muluki Criminal Code Sections 181 and 182 for negligence causing death—punishable by 3-10 years imprisonment and fines from NPR 30,000 to 100,000—based on a commission report led by Gauri Bahadur Kharki.
Implemented post-Balendra Shah's premiership, the report faulted officials including Oli for inaction during the violence. All statements and evidence collection stand complete; former Chief District Officer Chabilal Rijal was also freed conditionally for potential testimony.
Should no charging decision emerge within the stipulated timeframe, the court directed invoking Section 15 of the code for release while sustaining the inquiry. This development underscores tensions in Nepal's political landscape, balancing accountability for security lapses against procedural fairness in high-profile cases.
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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar
