https://thesun.my/news/world-news/asia/nepals-former-energy-minister-arrested-in-money-laundering-case/

KATHMANDU: Nepal’s former energy minister Deepak Khadka was arrested on Sunday as part of a money laundering investigation, according to police.

The arrest was announced by Central Investigation Bureau spokesman Shiva Kumar Shrestha, who confirmed the case would be overseen by the Department of Money Laundering Investigation.

It follows the arrests a day earlier of former prime minister KP Sharma Oli and former home minister Ramesh Lekhak over their alleged roles in a deadly crackdown on anti-corruption protesters last September.

Newly appointed Home Affairs Minister wrote on Facebook that Khadka had been detained in connection with the investigation of money recovered from his residence during the 9 September protest.

His home was set ablaze during the youth-led uprising, with viral videos showing protesters throwing cash found inside into the air.

At least 76 people were killed in the crackdown on 8 and 9 September, according to an official inquiry commission into the violence.

Demonstrators eventually brought down Oli’s administration after setting fire to the parliament building and government offices.

Nepal held elections this month which were won by a landslide by the Rastriya Swatantra Party, whose leader, rapper-turned-politician Balendra Shah, formally took office as prime minister on Friday.

The new government unveiled an ambitious 100-point agenda for governance reform on Saturday, including a plan to form a committee to investigate the assets of politicians and high-ranking state employees.

A government-backed inquiry commission had previously recommended that Oli and other officials be prosecuted for neglect after not acting to stop security forces from firing on protestors, though both Oli and Lekhak have denied ordering forces to open fire.