Kathmandu, Nepal, March 30, 2026: Police arrested Rekha Sharma, a member of the Lumbini Provincial Assembly, on Sunday. She was taken from her home in Dhumbarahi, Kathmandu.
The Case Against Rekha Sharma
Ms. Sharma is accused of keeping a young girl at her house for child labor. A team from the Kathmandu Metropolitan City and the local police rescued the girl recently. They found that the child was being used as a domestic worker.
There was some confusion before the arrest. The District Government Attorney’s Office had previously said there was "no need to file a case." However, the police went ahead with the arrest on Sunday to investigate the matter further.
Police Search for Mahesh Basnet
At the same time, police are looking for Mahesh Basnet, a secretary of the CPN-UML party. Since Sunday afternoon, police officers in plain clothes have been trying to find him.
A woman has filed a complaint against Mr. Basnet, accusing him of "forcing and threatening" her. While the police are searching for him, Mr. Basnet posted a message on social media on Sunday night.
What the Leaders Say
Mr. Basnet said he is not running away. He claims that the government is trying to arrest him to stop the CPN-UML's protests. These protests started after the party's Chairman, KP Sharma Oli, was also taken into custody.
The CPN-UML party says these arrests are being made for political reasons. However, the police maintain that they are simply following the law based on the complaints they received.
