Former Nepal prime minister KP Sharma Oli is freed by police after questioning over a deadly 2025 protest crackdown, with no formal charges filed.
KATHMANDU: Nepal’s former prime minister KP Sharma Oli and ex-interior minister Ramesh Lekhak have been released from police custody after 12 days.
Both men were arrested for their alleged role in a deadly crackdown on protesters in 2025.
“Both former prime minister KP Sharma Oli and the former home minister have been released today on the condition that they will present themselves to the police when required,” Kathmandu Police spokesperson Pawan Kumar Bhattarai said.
Neither has been formally charged, and both deny responsibility for the violence.
The arrests followed an inquiry commission’s recommendation to prosecute Oli and other officials for failing to stop security forces from opening fire.
The commission found their statements denying knowledge of the violence amounted to “criminal negligence”.
Oli, 74, was taken to hospital soon after his arrest for a procedural check-up due to heart and kidney problems.
Their wives had filed habeas corpus petitions at the Supreme Court challenging the detentions.
The court dismissed the petitions but ordered authorities to complete the investigation without further extending detention.
Oli’s CPN-UML party has called the arrests “a vengeful act” and called for protests.
The September 2025 youth-led uprising began over a social media ban and spread nationwide.
Fueled by anger over corruption and economic hardship, protesters set fire to parliament and eventually toppled Oli’s government.