News Summary
- Interpol has requested additional documents to issue a red notice against former Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba and his wife Arju Rana Deuba.
- On 7 April, Kathmandu District Court issued an arrest warrant against the Deuba couple.
- The couple left Nepal on 26 February for medical treatment abroad and have not yet returned.
7 May, Kathmandu – Interpol has requested additional documentation to proceed with issuing a red notice against former Prime Minister and Nepali Congress ex-chairperson Sher Bahadur Deuba and his wife, former Foreign Minister Dr. Arju Rana Deuba.
According to sources at the Police Headquarters, Interpol has sought further details from the National Central Bureau (NCB) in Kathmandu.
“The red notice is currently in process. Interpol has requested additional necessary documents,” stated a senior police official.
On 20 March, the Kathmandu District Court issued an arrest warrant against the Deuba couple based on a letter from the Department of Money Laundering Investigation. Following the warrant, the process to bring them back to Nepal was initiated.
The NCB had formally communicated with Interpol to request the red notice, but Interpol has not issued it due to insufficient documentation.
When the arrest warrant was issued, the Deuba couple was abroad. They left Nepal on 26 February for medical treatment in Singapore and reportedly went to Hong Kong on 20 March.
Previously, the couple had traveled to Singapore for treatment following the Janajati Movement and had returned after completing their medical care.
Despite leaving on 26 February, they have yet to return to Nepal. Sources indicate that they are currently still in Hong Kong.
If the red notice is issued, the 196 Interpol member countries can detain the Deuba couple and, after completing legal procedures, arrange their return to Nepal.
After the arrest warrant was issued, Deuba released a statement claiming transparency, describing allegations concerning his assets as misleading and false, and noting that he disclosed his asset details to government authorities during his tenure in public office.
While acknowledging travel abroad for medical treatment, Deuba did not disclose his current whereabouts.
An investigation is also ongoing into business dealings involving Sher Bahadur Deuba’s relatives Pradeep Shamsher Jabara, Bhushan Rana, and Jayvir Deuba.
Previously, Arju Rana Deuba was also implicated in allegations related to the fake Bhutanese refugee case.
During the Janajati Movement, Sher Bahadur Deuba built two houses at his compound in Budhanilkantha, where they stayed. At that time, the couple was attacked and their houses were set on fire.
Notes burned during the Janajati Movement on 8 and 9 September were found at Deuba’s residence, and a video related to it was made public.
The Department of Money Laundering Investigation has registered a case and is conducting an ongoing inquiry regarding this matter.
