Kathmandu: In a major relief for former Nepal Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli, he, along with former Home Minister Ramesh Lekhak, was released from jail on Thursday.
“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 was quoted as saying by AFP.
The 74-year-old Oli was reportedly taken to the Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital in the capital, Kathmandu, where he will undergo kidney stone surgery.
The relief comes after an order from the Supreme Court. The District Government Attorney’s Office sent a letter to the police to ensure the release of the two Nepalese leaders.
Both Oli and Lekhak were arrested on 28 March on charges related to murder, based on the report of the investigation commission formed to probe the crackdown on the 2025 Gen Z protest that toppled the ruling CPN (UML) government. However, due to insufficient grounds and evidence to file a case, they are now being released.
Earlier, the Supreme Court had directed that either charges be filed against them or they be released by 9 April. An agreement was reached between the police and the Attorney General’s Office not to register a formal case.
For the unversed, at least 77 protesters, mostly youth, were killed and 700 others injured during the protests last year following a ban on social media companies, leading to the ouster of Oli’s government.
