New Nepal regime imposes restrictions on former King and three Prime Ministers

In a sweeping move that signals a sharpened posture on accountability, Nepal’s new interim government has imposed a series of restrictions and legal probes on former King Gyanendra and three former prime ministers, accusing them of misuse of power, corruption, property violations and instigating unrest.

- BY S VENKAT NARAYAN

The newly empowered authorities have launched formal investigations into former Prime Ministers Sher Bahadur Deuba and Pushpa Kamal “Prachanda” Dahal, following the circulation of disturbing video evidence and public outrage.

The probe was initiated after videos surfaced showing individuals entering the residences of Deuba, Prachanda, and former minister Deepak Khadka, vandalising premises, and burning large sums of banknotes (in denominations of NPR 500 and 1,000).

In response, the Department of Money Laundering Investigation dispatched teams to the residences: to Deuba’s home and Khadka’s property on September 21, and to Prachanda’s house two days later.

Investigators collected burnt currency remnants, ashes, and related evidence, which has been forwarded to the National Forensic Science Laboratory in Khumaltar for chemical and forensic examination.

The authorities have stated that the probes will explore whether these former leaders were complicit—directly or tacitly—in illicit transactions, money laundering, or abuses linked to the protests that prompted these attacks.

The government views the investigations as part of a broader push to hold high-profile leaders accountable, especially amid the unrest triggered by the Gen-Z protests and demands for political transparency.

The measures have stirred intense debate over due process and the reach of executive power in the Himalayan nation.