The Supreme Court has set a deadline for authorities to complete the investigation into former Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli and Nepali Congress leader Ramesh Lekhak, ordering their release if the process is not concluded within the given timeframe.
The directive comes after the Kathmandu District Court had extended their detention by five days on Chaitra 22 as part of an ongoing investigation. The Supreme Court has now made it clear that if investigators fail to decide on filing a case within this period, both leaders must be released from custody and the investigation can continue without detention.
The order was issued on Monday through a mandamus directive, referencing provisions under the National Criminal Procedure Code, 2074. It instructs authorities to either complete the legal process within the deadline or release the two while continuing further inquiries.
The case reached the Supreme Court after habeas corpus petitions were filed earlier by Oli’s wife, Radhika Shakya, and Lekhak’s wife, Yashoda Lekhak. The petitions argued that the two leaders were being held in unlawful detention and sought their immediate release.
However, the court did not grant habeas corpus relief. Instead, it focused on setting procedural limits on detention, allowing investigators time to complete their work while ensuring that custody is not extended indefinitely without formal charges.
The decision places pressure on investigating authorities to act within a defined timeline and clarify whether the case will proceed to prosecution.
The development has drawn attention to the legal process surrounding high-profile political figures, particularly the balance between investigation and individual rights during detention.