Former Nepal Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli was taken into custody early Saturday over his alleged role in the deadly suppression of the September 2025 youth protests that triggered his exit from office. The arrest comes a day after rapper-turned-politician Balen Shah was sworn in as the country’s new Prime Minister.

Authorities also detained senior Nepali Congress figure and former Home Minister Ramesh Lekhak in connection with the same investigation. Officials said the case relates to culpable homicide charges tied to the violent handling of demonstrations. If convicted, the accused could face prison terms of up to a decade.

Oli, 74, was shifted to a Kathmandu hospital following medical assessments, given his history of serious health complications, including past kidney transplants.

The arrests stem from findings by a high-level inquiry commission formed to examine the government’s response to the so-called “Gen Z revolution” — a youth-driven movement that erupted in September 2025. What began as agitation over digital freedoms and governance concerns quickly expanded into a nationwide protest against corruption, unemployment and political instability. Security forces launched a forceful crackdown, and clashes during the unrest left dozens dead and thousands injured.

The commission concluded that as head of government at the time, Oli bore responsibility for failing to halt prolonged firing on demonstrators during the initial phase of protests, when multiple fatalities were reported. The panel also recommended legal action against several other officials, including the then police chief.

Oli has dismissed the report’s conclusions, calling them politically motivated and unfair. His party, the Communist Party of Nepal (Unified Marxist-Leninist), described the arrest as an act of vendetta and convened an emergency meeting to plan its response.

The dramatic development follows Oli’s recent electoral defeat to Balen Shah in the Jhapa-5 constituency, once considered a stronghold of his party.