Former Prime Minister Deuba returns to Nepal amid fear of arrest on corruption charges
Collected Photo
Former Nepali Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba returned to the country on Thursday, despite facing possible arrest on corruption charges. He arrived back in Nepal six months after going abroad for medical treatment.
Hundreds of supporters gathered on the roads leading to Tribhuvan International Airport in the capital, Kathmandu, as the veteran leader of the opposition Nepali Congress party waved and greeted them with a smile.
In April, police issued an arrest warrant against Deuba on charges of money laundering. He is the latest high-profile political figure to come under the threat of arrest during the tenure of Prime Minister Balendra Shah's new government.
The 80-year-old Deuba had left Nepal in February. He has denied the allegations.
Nepal Police spokesperson Abhi Narayan Kafle said that Deuba's case is being handled by the Department of Money Laundering Investigation.
Kafle told AFP, "Since he is a former prime minister, we are providing security at the airport and at his gatherings."
An arrest warrant had also been issued against Deuba's wife and former Foreign Minister Arzu Rana Deuba.
The arrest warrants were issued a month after Shah won a landslide victory in the first elections held following deadly protests in September 2025, promising political change led by young people.
In January, Deuba's term as president of the Nepali Congress ended. He stepped down after younger party leaders pressured for a change in leadership.
After coming to power, Shah's government has launched a widespread crackdown against high-profile political figures.
In March, former Prime Minister K.P. Sharma Oli and former Home Minister Ramesh Lekhak were briefly arrested over their alleged role in suppressing the September protests.
That youth-led uprising was sparked by a short-term ban on social media, but longstanding public discontent over corruption and the economic crisis in the Himalayan nation also played a major role.
The protesters set fire to the Parliament building and various government offices. Eventually, the government was also overthrown.
Deuba's house was also burned down. Videos of the attacks on the couple by protesters spread widely on social media. News also circulated that a large amount of cash was found at the residence.
In his testimony to the commission formed to investigate the protests, Deuba claimed that the videos circulating on social media were potentially fabricated.
He said, "This is a conspiracy. But I do not know who is behind it."
The commission has recommended further investigation into the cash that was allegedly found at Deuba's house and other properties.
Sources: AFP, TRT, Reuters
