Nepal’s former finance minister Bishnu Prasad Paudel was taken into custody late Monday evening on money laundering charges, according to police, as the nation’s new Gen Z-backed government pushes forward with a sweeping crackdown on alleged corruption tied to past administrations.
Paudel, 66, is a senior leader within the Communist Party of Nepal (UML) and was a prominent figure in the former government led by K.P. Sharma Oli. Police say he was apprehended at a hotel located in western Nepal.
Police spokesperson Abi Narayan Kafle confirmed that Paudel was being transported to Kathmandu, where he would be turned over to the Department of Money Laundering Investigation.
The arrest follows the collapse of Oli’s government, which was brought down in the wake of violent anti-corruption protests. Those demonstrations resulted in the deaths of at least 76 people and left more than 2,500 others injured. Several government buildings were set on fire during the unrest, including the parliament building.
Oli himself, along with his home minister, was previously arrested for failing to stop the violence. Both men have since been released on bail.
Prime Minister Balendra Shah, a 36-year-old former rapper who transitioned into politics and assumed office in March following a landslide election victory built on an anti-corruption platform, has vowed to hold those responsible for past misconduct accountable.
Attempts to reach Paudel for comment were unsuccessful. A UML party official indicated that top party leaders planned to convene on Tuesday to address the situation. Paudel has served in a number of ministerial roles across multiple governments throughout his political career.
