Police Detain Former PM KP Sharma Oli at His Residence After Confrontation

Kathmandu. Police arrived at the residence of former Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli in Gundhu, Suryavinayak Municipality-7, Bhaktapur, around 4:30 AM on Saturday. Earlier, Home Minister Sudhan Gurung, IGP Dan Bahadur Karki, and Armed Police Force Inspector General Raju Aryal had held discussions late into the night.

Following the cabinet's decision to implement the report submitted by the Gauri Bahadur Karki-led commission investigating the J-Force demonstrations on Bhadra 23 and 24, there was an anticipation that KP Sharma Oli and former Home Minister Lekhak could be arrested. When the team led by two SSPs reached Gundhu, some cadres of the CPN (UML) had already gathered there.

The police operation was led by SSPs Hobindra Bogati and Santosh Khadka. Bhaktapur SP Surya Bahadur Khadka also arrived in Gundhu with his team around 4:30 AM. According to police officials, 250 personnel from Nepal Police and a large number of security personnel from the Armed Police Force were mobilized. Approximately 600 troops from both organizations were deployed to arrest Oli in Gundhu.

Initially, the gate of Oli's residence was not opened. When attempts were made to open the gate, there was a brief scuffle between the police and UML cadres.

UML cadres initially threw stones, one official involved in the arrest told Ratopati. SSP Bogati, who came from the Lalitpur District Police Range to Gundhu, urged the UML cadres to step back.   

Subsequently, the police team broke down the main gate of Oli's residence and entered. Investigation officers presented Oli with an arrest warrant. Oli read the warrant carefully. The warrant stated, 'You are being arrested immediately in connection with the investigation of a case including the offense against life. This arrest warrant is hereby issued.'

Oli, who had gone to sleep around 2 AM, was not yet awake when the police arrived. Woken by the commotion, Oli read the arrest warrant and said, 'I will face it.'

In conversation with police officers, Oli stated that he was unwell. After consulting with two lawyers for some time, Oli agreed to go with the police, saying, 'Alright, fine.'

According to one of the arresting officers, there was also a discussion about which vehicle Oli would use to be transported. Oli wanted to travel in his own vehicle.  

It was revealed that the Toyota Jeep with license plate Ba.18 Cha 4845, which he usually used, was provided to him by the government as a facility, so the investigating officers agreed to take him in that vehicle to Bhadrakali.  

Thereafter, former Prime Minister Oli was arrested at 6:17 AM and brought to the District Police Range in Bhadrakali.  

Oli is currently being taken from the District Police Range Kathmandu to the hospital for a health check-up. His medical examination will be conducted at the Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital in Maharajgunj.