Opposition MPs demand explanation for former chief justice's brief detention

In a parliamentary meeting, opposition members demanded a detailed parliamentary explanation for the police seizure of former chief justice Cholendra Shumsher Rana, who was held from early Sunday morning until the afternoon of Monday. CPN-UML chief whip Ain Bahadur Mahar accused the government of breaching legal norms, noting the absence of any formal charge. Nepali Communist Party whip Yubaraj Dulal highlighted similar arrests of ex-prime ministers and other prominent figures, questioning whether the action was intended to shift focus from recent natural disasters.

Lawmakers from the Shram Sanskriti Party and Rastriya Prajatantra Party also raised concerns about the legality and necessity of the detention, suggesting that genuine security threats should have been addressed through protection rather than arrest. Police from the Kathmandu Valley Crime Investigation Office, led by Deputy Superintendent Yograj Khatiwada, executed the operation at Rana’s Maharajgunj residence, but have not disclosed the specific threat that prompted the custody.