The Supreme Court of Nepal has issued a show cause order in the writ petition filed, calling for the release of CPN (UML) Chair and former Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli from detention. The apex court has also sought a written response from the government over the reasons behind the arrest of Nepali Congress leader and former Home Minister Ramesh Lekhak. Oli was detained at his residence on Saturday after the newly elected government decided to implement the report of the inquiry commission formed to investigate the September 8 and 9 protests and subsequent incidents.

 

A single bench of Justice Meghraj Pokharel today asked the defendant in the case to submit a written response, along with the grounds and reasons, through the Attorney General’s Office within three days from the date of receipt of the order. Meanwhile, in the case of former Home Minister Lekhak, a single bench of Justice Kumar Regmi today asked the concerned authorities to submit a written response through the Attorney General’s Office within three days of receiving the notice.

 

The apex court has also asked the respondents to present the investigation file, including the Karki Commission’s investigation report, to the bench on the day of the hearing. Chairman Oli’s wife, Radhika Shakya, had filed a writ petition, demanding his release from detention. Similarly, Nepali Congress Leader Lekhak’s wife, Yashoda, had filed a writ petition in the Apex Court on Sunday, stating that her husband was being illegally detained.

 

Both leaders were arrested last Saturday after the new Balen’s government decided to implement the recommendations given by the commission headed by former judge Gauri Bahadur Karki. The Commission had recommended prosecution over criminal charges against Lekhak and former Prime Minister and CPN-UML Chair KP Sharma Oli.