- Police arrested former Chief Justice Cholendra Shumsher Rana from his Maharajgunj residence on Thursday night for undisclosed reasons.
- The Kathmandu Valley Crime Investigation Office confirmed the arrest but has not yet specified the nature of the investigation or charges.
- This development follows the Supreme Court's recent dismissal of a writ petition regarding the 2022 impeachment motion filed against Rana.
- Rana’s tenure as Chief Justice was heavily criticized, leading to mass protests by lawyers and a prolonged suspension from his duties.
Police take Rana into custody from his Maharajgunj residence; reason for arrest not disclosed
Kathmandu, Nepal: Former Chief Justice Cholendra Shumsher Rana was arrested from his residence in Maharajgunj on Thursday night.
A police team from the Kathmandu Valley Crime Investigation Office, Teku, took Rana into custody, according to police sources.
Police have confirmed the arrest but have not disclosed the offense for which Rana was arrested or the nature of the investigation against him.
It is also not clear whether the arrest is linked to the impeachment proceedings that were initiated against him or to a separate case.
The arrest comes shortly after the Supreme Court dismissed a writ petition related to the impeachment motion filed against Rana.
Impeachment motion and suspension
An impeachment motion against Rana was registered in the House of Representatives in February 2022. He was suspended as Chief Justice after the motion was filed and did not return to the Supreme Court.
The motion raised questions about his role in the management of the judiciary and several controversies surrounding his tenure as Chief Justice.
The impeachment process remained unresolved for a long time. After the House of Representatives completed its term, questions were raised over the legal status of the motion.
A writ petition was later filed at the Supreme Court over the issue.
The Supreme Court recently dismissed the writ petition, ending the latest legal challenge related to the impeachment process.
Rana's current arrest, however, has not yet been linked by police to that matter.
Who is Cholendra Shumsher Rana?
Rana is a member of the Rana family and a fourth-generation descendant of former Rana prime minister Bir Shumsher.
His father, Yuvraj Shumsher, was a member of the Standing Committee of the then Raj Sabha.
Rana pursued a career in law and the judiciary. He was appointed an ad hoc judge of the then Appellate Court on April 14, 1996.
He later served in several judicial positions, including as a member of the Special Court.
While serving as acting chief judge of the Appellate Court in Butwal, he was appointed a Supreme Court justice in 2014.
He became Chief Justice on January 2, 2019.
Controversies during his tenure
Rana's tenure as Chief Justice was marked by disputes over judicial administration, appointments of judges, case listings and his role in several matters with political implications.
Lawyers also staged protests demanding his resignation.
The controversy eventually led to the impeachment motion against him in Parliament. His suspension following the motion kept him away from the Supreme Court for the remainder of his tenure.
What happens next?
The main question following Rana's arrest is what offense police are investigating.
With no official details released so far, the exact grounds for the arrest remain unclear.
Police are expected to disclose the allegations and the basis for the investigation as the case moves forward.
