The police have decided to release former Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli and former Home Minister Ramesh Lekhak on bail.

Kathmandu Police Chief SSP Ramesh Thapa told Kantipur that a letter has arrived from the government attorney with the decision to release them in custody as per the Supreme Court order.

He said, “We have already taken the process forward accordingly.”

Hearing the writ petition filed by the families of Oli and Lekhak, the court had ordered their release after the five-day extension granted by the Kathmandu court expired. Although the bench of Justices Binod Sharma and Sunil Kumar Pokharel stated that the detention “cannot be said to be against the law,” it had ordered the case to be tried or not after completing the investigation during the extended period. ‘If that fails, after the third extension of time, Oli and the writer shall be released from custody and further investigation shall be completed after completing the process of Section 15 of the Criminal Code, 2074 BS’, the order stated.

The court also mentioned that it was seen from the file that Oli and the writer’s statements and other investigation work had been completed. And, it was mentioned that the then Kathmandu Chief District Officer Chhabilal Rijal, among those recommended for action by the investigation committee, was also released to be present when searched.

In such a situation, it was said that it would be appropriate to conclude the investigation process quickly, even since Oli was critically ill. Oli and the writer were arrested by the police on

14 Chaitra. The cabinet meeting held immediately after senior Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh leader Balendra Shah became the Prime Minister had decided to implement the report of the inquiry commission led by Gauri Bahadur Karki.

In connection with that, the police had arrested them. The commission had recommended a criminal investigation into their negligent and reckless actions and behavior, saying that human damage had occurred due to their negligent and reckless actions and behavior. Home Minister Sudhan Gurung had discussed with Nepal Police IGP Dan Bahadur Karki and Armed Police Chief Raju Aryal on the same evening to proceed with their immediate arrest. Later, the next morning, they were taken into custody with the necessary arrest warrants. The report of the commission of inquiry stated that even after some people died in the shooting on 23 Bhadra, no official, including the then Prime Minister Oli, took any steps to stop the shooting and committed negligent and reckless actions and behavior.

Accordingly, action was recommended against Oli and the writer under Sections 181 and 182 of the Criminal Code. Section 181 of the Criminal Code states that ‘no one shall kill anyone by acting negligently’.

A person who commits such an offense can be imprisoned for 3 to 10 years and fined from 30 thousand to 100 thousand rupees. Section 182 states that ‘no one shall be killed by negligence’.

It states that he can be imprisoned for 3 years and fined up to 30 thousand rupees.