Nepal Ex-PM KP Sharma Oli, Former Home Minister arrested over Gen Z protest crackdown day after Balendra Shah’s oath

Former Nepal Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli has been arrested on Saturday.

'Nepal protesters killed by 'infiltrators' with automatic guns...': KP Oli makes BIG claim, says his govt didn't..., demands probe into... — (File)

Former Nepal Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli and ex-Home Minister Ramesh Lekhak were arrested on Saturday. According to the Kathmandu Post, “KP Sharma Oli has been arrested in connection with a culpable homicide-related case linked to the alleged suppression of the September Gen Z protests.” His arrest comes just a day after rapper-turned-politician Balendra Shah was sworn in as Nepal’s prime minister on Friday, making history as the youngest leader to be democratically elected to the top office of the Himalayan nation, around six months after the dramatic collapse of the KP Sharma Oli government in an unprecedented youth movement. The 35-year-old Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) leader, popularly known as ‘Balen’, was sworn in by President Ram Chandra Paudel at a ceremony at the President’s Office. The RSP had registered a landslide victory in this month’s parliamentary elections.

Why were KP Sharma Oli and the former Home Minister taken into custody now?

#WATCH | Visuals from outside of the District Police Range, Kathmandu, where former Nepal Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli has been brought after being taken into custody from his residence in Gundu, Bhaktapur, by Nepal Police.
According to the Kathmandu Post, “he has been arrested… pic.twitter.com/RbnLmDv3sk
— ANI (@ANI) March 28, 2026

Oli was taken into custody Saturday morning from his residence in Gundu, Bhaktapur, and Lekhak was taken into custody approximately at 5:00 am from his home in Suryavinayak, Bhaktapur. In a post on social media platform, newly appointed Minister for Home Affairs, Sudan Gurung said,” We have taken former Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli and outgoing Home Minister Ramesh Lekhak under control. This is not revenge against anyone; it is just the beginning of justice. I believe that now the country will take a new direction.”

What has KP Sharma Oli said about his arrest?

In the anti-corruption youth uprising on September 8 and 9 last year, more than 70 people, at least 19 of whom were young people, died. These uprisings were angered over a brief social media ban, but used the protests as an opportunity to express their long-lasting anger at the economic hardships faced by many. The unrest began the morning after the protests started, and by the next day, the entire country was caught up in the violence caused by the protests, resulting in the burning of parliament and government offices, which ultimately led to the downfall of the government led by K.P. Oli. However, Oli said his arrest was “vindictive.” “I will fight the legal battle,” he told the media.

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The Times Of Bengal