KATHMANDU: The Special Court has granted permission to the Department of Money Laundering Investigation to keep CPN-UML Vice-chair and former Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Bishnu Paudel in custody for seven days for further investigation.
A bench comprising judges Narayan Prasad Paudel, Hemanta Rawal and Umesh Koirala issued the order, authorizing investigators to detain Paudel for seven days effective from Monday.
The Department of Money Laundering Investigation will continue its probe during the detention period, according to the court order.
If additional time is required, investigators will have to seek a further extension from the Special Court after the initial seven-day period expires.
Paudel, who also serves as a vice-chair of the CPN-UML, was arrested in Surkhet on Sunday and transported to Kathmandu by road later that night.
He was subsequently presented before the Special Court as part of an ongoing investigation into allegations related to money laundering.
Authorities have not yet disclosed further details regarding the specific allegations under investigation.
Comment