Former Nepalese Prime Minister K.P. Sharma Oli was arrested Saturday in a pre-dawn raid, according to Nepal’s Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), following a commission’s recommendation to prosecute officials for their alleged roles in the deaths of protestors during the ‘Gen Z’ demonstrations of last year.
The arrests of Oli and former Home Minister Ramesh Lekhak come as newly-elected Prime Minister Balendra Shah has initiated a sweeping anti-corruption crackdown since assuming office. The CBI has also begun investigating the assets of three other former prime ministers: Pushpa Kamal Dahal Prachanda, Sher Bahadur Deuba, and Madhav Kumar Nepal.
The ‘Gen Z’ protests, which erupted in September 2025, were triggered by a combination of economic hardship and political grievances. The demonstrations led to the dissolution of Nepal’s parliament after 77 people were killed and over 2,000 injured in clashes with security forces. A parliamentary commission was subsequently established to investigate the events surrounding the protests and determine responsibility for the violence.
The commission’s report, released earlier this month, found that security forces had used excessive force against protestors and that senior officials, including Oli and Lekhak, had failed to take adequate measures to prevent the bloodshed. The report specifically cited a lack of clear directives to security personnel and a delayed response to escalating violence as key failures.
Prime Minister Shah, who unveiled a 100-point reform plan on Sunday, has prioritized addressing corruption and reforming the country’s bureaucracy. The plan includes a ban on political activities within universities and a comprehensive overhaul of the education system. A digital ID project is also slated for implementation.
The arrests have prompted reactions from regional observers. In January, former Nepalese Foreign Minister Pradeep Kumar Gyawali alleged that external actors played a role in instigating the 2025 unrest, claiming “deep state forces” were involved in spreading misinformation and disinformation. He did not specify which nations or groups he believed were responsible.
Reports from The Grayzone, citing leaked documents, allege that the U.S. Government’s National Endowment for Democracy (NED) provided funding to organizations involved in training young Nepalese activists in protest tactics. The reports claim the NED spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on these programs, with the stated goal of countering Chinese and Indian influence in Nepal. The NED has not publicly responded to these specific allegations.
Kathmandu has also announced plans to rehabilitate individuals affected by last year’s protests and provide them with job opportunities. The scope and details of this rehabilitation program remain unclear.
As of Monday, neither Oli nor Lekhak have publicly commented on the charges. The CBI has not announced a timeline for their trial. The investigation into the assets of the other three former prime ministers is ongoing.
