Kathmandu — Prime Minister Balendra Shah (Balen) reportedly gave a direct order to Nepal Police IGP Danbahadur Karki to arrest Industry, Commerce and Supplies Minister Gauri Kumari Yadav on suspicion of leaking information about petroleum price reductions.
On the night of Asar 16, police increased surveillance around Minister Yadav’s private residence in Sinamangal. However, IGP Karki consulted with RSP President Rabi Lamichhane and Home Minister Sudhan Gurung, concluding that a sitting minister who is also a Member of Parliament could not be arrested without approval from the Parliament Secretariat. The order was therefore not executed.
Prime Minister Shah was dissatisfied with Minister Yadav’s activities, including her meeting with the Gas Industry Association and her role in petroleum price decisions, which he believed involved leaked information. The incident created turmoil within the government. Eventually, IGP Karki limited action to surveillance, leading Shah to step back from his initial stance.
Party President Lamichhane also advised that arresting or suspending ministers hastily would send a negative message. For now, the matter has subsided, but sources claim the Prime Minister has intensified monitoring of ministers and even his own secretariat, with zero tolerance for misconduct.
