The Special Court has granted permission to the Department of Money Laundering Investigation (DMLI) to detain former Deputy Prime Minister, former Finance Minister, and CPN-UML Vice Chairman Bishnu Poudel for seven days for further investigation.

A joint bench comprising judges Narayan Prasad Poudel, Hemanta Rawal, and Umesh Koirala issued the order, allowing authorities to keep Poudel in custody starting from Monday.

Poudel was arrested in Surkhet on Monday evening while attending a party-related program. He was subsequently transported to Kathmandu overnight and presented before the Special Court on Tuesday.

Investigators had requested remand time to continue questioning and gather evidence related to alleged money laundering activities. The court approved a seven-day detention period for the preliminary phase of the investigation.

The arrest and subsequent court order have sparked significant political discussion in Nepal. UML leaders have criticized the manner of the arrest, while investigative authorities maintain that the process is being carried out in accordance with the law.