KATHMANDU: The government’s attempt to arrest former Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba and his wife Arzu Rana Deuba has suffered a setback after the Supreme Court issued an interim order against their arrest.
A joint bench of Justices Mahesh Sharma Paudel and Nityananda Pandey issued the interim order in response to a writ petition filed against the arrest warrant issued by the government.
With the order, authorities are now barred from arresting the Deuba couple, who are currently in Hong Kong. Earlier, Interpol had also reportedly refused to act on the government’s request related to the case.
Previously, on Jestha 5, a bench led by Justice Meghraj Pokharel had issued a show-cause order in the same case, directing the government to submit a written response within 15 days.
The court had summoned both parties on Monday to discuss whether an interim order should be issued. Following the hearing, the court ruled in favor of the petitioners, obstructing the government’s plan to detain the Deuba couple.
In the petition filed on behalf of Deuba, the arrest process was described as illegal and against constitutional rights. Deuba argued that he was willing to cooperate with the investigation, ready to disclose the source of his assets, and that there was no need for arrest.
The Department of Money Laundering Investigation had earlier obtained permission from the Kathmandu District Court to arrest Deuba.
Deuba is currently outside the country.
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