Did the Karki Commission find Oli and Lekhak “guilty”?

Short answer: No. The commission did not find anyone guilty; it recommended action (investigation and prosecution). Only a court can decide guilt.

What did the commission say?

The commission led by former judge Gauri Bahadur Karki recommended action against then PM KP Sharma Oli, Home Minister Ramesh Lekhak and IGP Chandra Kuber Khapung under Sections 181 and 182 of the National Penal Code 2017. Its basis: no attempt was made to stop the firing on 8 September even though it went on for more than four hours.

What happened next?

• 28 March 2026: Oli and Lekhak arrested right after the new government took office.
• 29 March: Kathmandu District Court allowed five days’ custody (prosecutors had sought ten).
• 7–9 April: The Supreme Court ordered their release, saying custody was not needed for the investigation. It did not call the detention unlawful.
• 9 April: Both released on condition they appear when required. The investigation continues.

Why “needs context”?

It is true that the commission reached serious findings and recommended action. But “found guilty” is wrong — until a case is filed and decided, everyone is legally presumed innocent. And the report itself is contested: the NHRC has recommended that the commission’s own chair be investigated.