Court allows five-day detention of UML Chair Oli and Ex-Home Minister Lekhak for probe

Kathmandu: The Kathmandu District Court has granted permission to keep CPN (UML) Chairman KP Sharma Oli and Nepali Congress leader and former Home Minister Ramesh Lekhak in detention for five days to continue the investigation.

A single bench of judge Ananda Prasad Shrestha issued the order to extend their detention by five days, according to registrar Tirtha Raj Bhattarai.

The court permission was sought to keep Oli and Lekhak in detention in a bid to record their statements and document the incident details in relation to a recommendation of the high-level inquiry commission on the Gen Z movement.

“As the security agency’s request appears cogent, permission is granted to keep the detainees for five more days in police custody in line with Section 14 (6) of the Criminal Procedure (Code)-Act, 2074 BS,” the court said in the order. Considering the health condition of UML Chairperson Oli, who is currently unwell and undergoing treatment at the hospital, the authorities were directed to ensure that Oli receives necessary and effective medical care.

Earlier, government attorneys had requested a 10-day remand for both leaders to forward the investigation. UML Chairperson Oli was the Head of the Government while Nepali Congress leader Lekhak was the Home Minister during the Gen Z movement that occurred on September 8 and 9, 2025.

Both the leaders were arrested yesterday morning as per the recommendations of the high-level commission formed by the erstwhile interim government to probe the incidents related to the Gen Z movement.

The high-level inquiry commission led by Gauri Bahadur Karki had recommended that the government take action against Oli and Lekhak under the criminal offense for suppressing the Gen Z movement.

Due to illness, Oli appeared virtually in court from TU Teaching Hospital, Maharajgunj, while Lekhak appeared before the court in person.

RSS