The Supreme Court of Nepal has ordered the immediate release of former minister and Nepali Congress leader Deepak Khadka, who was in custody on money laundering charges.
A joint bench of Acting Chief Justice Sapana Pradhan Malla and Justice Shreekant Paudel issued the order on Thursday, in response to a habeas corpus petition filed by Khadka’s wife, Binita Thapa.
The court ruled that the legal procedures followed during Khadka's arrest and the subsequent extensions of his remand were flawed. According to the bench, the evidence presented by the government did not justify continued detention. The justices noted that the investigation into the alleged offenses could proceed effectively without keeping the petitioner in custody.
While the court granted his release, it imposed a travel restriction, stating that Khadka must obtain prior judicial permission before traveling abroad.
This decision follows a Wednesday hearing where the court demanded the investigative files and a written response from the Department of Revenue Investigation.
Khadka was originally arrested by the Central Investigation Bureau (CIB) on March 29 following a request from the Department of Money Laundering Investigation. Although the case had been shuffled between the money laundering and revenue departments, the Supreme Court concluded that his detention lacked the necessary legal basis, leading to the order for his release.
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