KATHMANDU: Nepal’s Supreme Court on Monday ordered the government to justify the detention of former prime minister KP Sharma Oli, arrested for his alleged role in a deadly crackdown on 2025 protests that ousted him.

The order came as hundreds of his supporters marched demanding the release of Oli, blocked by heavy police deployments as they neared the charred old parliament building, set on fire in the September violence in which at least 76 people were killed.

“It is the politics of revenge,” said protester Balkumari BK, aged 37. “This is a political vendetta,” she added.

Oli, 74, and ex-home minister Ramesh Lekhak were arrested in pre-dawn raids on Saturday, a day after Prime Minister Balendra Shah was sworn in following the first elections since the September uprising.

Protesters demand release of detained former prime minister

On Monday, the Supreme Court ordered the government to provide justification for Oli’s arrest after his wife submitted a petition, claiming the government’s action was unlawful.

“The Supreme Court issued a show-cause order to the government, asking for the reason behind the arrest of former prime minister KP Sharma Oli,” Supreme Court spokesperson Arjun Prasad Koirala said.

“It has given three days to submit a written justification for Oli’s arrest.” The arrests of Oli and Lekhak came after an inquiry commission recommended that the four-time ex-prime minister and other officials be prosecuted for failing to stop security forces from opening fire on demonstrators. “Release KP Oli,” around 300 protesters chanted. “Scrap the commission report”.

Oli, who has health issues, appeared in court via video-link from hospital on Sunday, where an order was given to extend his detention for five days. The two men were arrested over their alleged involvement in the protest crackdown. Neither has been charged, and both deny responsibility for the violence.

The commission report said statements given by Oli and Lekhak, claiming ignorance of the violence, were an attempt to shift responsibility and amounted to “criminal negligence”.

It recommended that they be investigated under a law that deals with death caused by recklessness. Ex-energy minister Deepak Khadka was also detained on Sunday in a money laundering investigation, police said.

The unrest in September 2025 began over a brief social media ban, but tapped into longstanding fury over economic hardship. It spread nationwide the following day as parliament and government offices were set ablaze, resulting in the collapse of Oli’s government.

“We will continue our protest, but we will proceed legally,” said Baburam Thapa, 63, a protester calling for Oli’s release.

Protest

Hundreds of Nepalis demanded the release of former prime minister KP Sharma Oli, arrested for his alleged role in a deadly crackdown on 2025 protests that ousted him.

Heavy police deployments on Monday barred the protests as they neared the charred old parliament building, set on fire in the September violence in which at least 76 people were killed.

Published in Dawn, March 31st, 2026