Oli and Lekhak to remain in custody for five more days for recording statement

Former prime minister K P Sharma Oli and former home minister Ramesh Lekhak will remain in judicial custody for five more days as the Kathmandu District Court Sunday approved to extend their detention after the police sought more time to probe their alleged involvement in the Gen Z movement crackdown in September last year.

The district Court approved the extension after investigators sought more time following the expiry of the previous remand period, according to the police.

The CPN-UML chair Oli and Nepali Congress leader Lekhak were arrested on March 28 on charges of their involvement in suppressing the Gen Z movement of September 8 and 9 last year, in which 76 people were killed.

Separately, the Supreme Court continued the hearing of two writ petitions demanding the release of the duo on Sunday and Monday. Participating in the hearing on Sunday on behalf of Oli and Lekhak, senior advocate Lalit Basnet said that the report submitted by the Gauri Bahadur Karki-led probe commission was “biased”.Bista was participating in the habeas corpus petition that took place in the bench consisting of justices Binod Sharma and Sunil Pokharel.

The cabinet has no authority to decide about the arrest of any individual, he argued.

A probe commission formed by the interim government led by Sushila Karki to inquire into the Gen Z protests in its report recommended legal action against Oli and Lekhak holding them responsible for the deaths.

Oli, 75, is currently admitted at Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital as he is suffering from various diseases.

The police have been recording his statement on the case from the hospital bed. While, 62-year-old Lekhak’s statements in the case are being recorded in police detention.

The arrests came after the newly-formed Balendra Shah government decided to implement the report of the probe commission into the Gen Z protests in its first cabinet meeting.