Reuters —
Nepal’s former prime minister, KP Sharma Oli, was arrested on Saturday as police investigate whether he was negligent in preventing the deaths of dozens of people during the Gen Z anti-corruption protests last September, officials said.
His home minister Ramesh Rekhak was also arrested.
They were detained after a Nepali commission investigating violence during protests recommended last week that they be prosecuted for negligence, a day after rapper-turned-politician Balendra Shah was sworn in as prime minister.
A total of 76 people were killed in the two-day riot, which led to Oli’s resignation.
Police spokesperson Om Adhikari said both Oli and Rekhak were detained at Kathmandu police station and would be produced in court on Sunday, a weekday in Nepal.
“We arrested them following the recommendations of the investigation committee,” he said.
Witnesses said 74-year-old Oli, who had undergone two kidney transplants in the past, was later transferred from the police station to a hospital.
His lawyer, Tikaram Bhattarai, told Reuters the arrest was unwarranted.
“They say (the arrest) is for investigation purposes. It’s illegal and unjust because there’s no risk of them fleeing or evading interrogation,” he said.
Mr. Rekaku and his lawyer could not be reached for comment.
The panel held Oli responsible for failing to take action to stop the hours-long firing that killed at least 19 Gen Z protesters on the first day of demonstrations.
Anger over the deaths propelled Prime Minister Shah’s Rastriya Swatantra Party to a landslide victory in this month’s general elections.
