KATHMANDU, April 8: The Kathmandu District Court has reportedly issued an arrest warrant against former Nepal Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba and his wife, former Foreign Minister Arzu Rana Deuba, in connection with an ongoing money-laundering investigation.
According to reports, the warrants were issued on Tuesday after approval from Judge Mahendra Khadka, following a request by Nepal’s Department of Money Laundering Investigation. The probe also involves other prominent political figures, including former Prime Ministers K P Sharma Oli and Pushpa Kamal Dahal, over alleged financial irregularities.
The investigation gained momentum after a youth-led “Gen-Z movement” in September last year, when protests led to several properties being set on fire. During the unrest, videos and images circulated on social media showing burnt cash allegedly recovered from the homes of political figures, including Deuba and Dahal’s family. Although there were initial doubts about the authenticity of these visuals, forensic tests later confirmed that the currency fragments were genuine, prompting authorities to launch a full-scale inquiry.
Despite the developments, Deuba and his wife are currently abroad. The couple reportedly traveled to Singapore on February 26 for medical treatment, shortly before Nepal’s parliamentary elections, and have not returned since. They are also believed to have visited Hong Kong. Authorities are now pursuing further action, with reports suggesting that the arrest warrants could be part of a process to request an Interpol Red Notice. This would allow international agencies to detain them overseas and facilitate their return to Nepal.
Sher Bahadur Deuba, a five-time prime minister, has been a key figure in Nepali politics since the early 1990s, consistently winning elections from his home district of Dadeldhura. However, his political standing has recently weakened. He did not contest the latest House of Representatives elections held on March 5 after being removed as president of the Nepali Congress party earlier this year.
The political landscape in Nepal has shifted significantly following the elections, with the Rastriya Swatantra Party emerging as the largest party with a near two-thirds majority. The new government has since intensified investigations into past leadership, making the situation more challenging for the Deuba couple as legal and political pressures continue to mount. (IANS)
