Kathmandu, April 8 A Nepalese court has issued arrest warrants against former Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba and his wife, Arzu Deuba Rana, the former Foreign Minister, in money laundering cases, according to media reports on Wednesday.
The Kathmandu District Court issued warrants against the couple on Tuesday following a request from the Department of Money Laundering, which is investigating the couple's assets, according to The Kathmandu Post newspaper.
Citing investigative sources, the paper said that the couple is believed to be in Singapore.
The department started investigating the couple's assets after charred banknotes were recovered from their residence in Budhanilkantha, on the outskirts of Kathmandu, in September.
Deuba, who served as Prime Minister five times, has remained a key figure in Nepali politics since 1991. His wife served as Foreign Minister in the K P Sharma Oli government before it was toppled in September last year following violent protests.
The couple suffered serious injuries when their house was set on fire by Gen Z protesters during the demonstrations.
If the couple fails to appear, further steps, including the issuance of a red corner notice, may be pursued as per legal provisions, The Himalayan Times reported.
In a statement posted on social media on Wednesday, Deuba claimed that "misleading and false information" regarding his and his family's assets was being circulated in the media.
"I would like to state that false propaganda is being spread concerning my family's property. I would like to inform you all that we have been submitting all factual details of our property to the concerned authorities while holding public office according to law," he said.
Deuba said he spent his life striving for the establishment of a democratic system of governance in Nepal.
"My belief in the rule of law, separation of powers, an independent judiciary, transparency, and responsible state organs remains steadfast," he added.
"During my tenure in Government as the Home Minister in 1991, I initiated the act for establishing the Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority and the Corruption Control Act was passed under my Premiership during my tenure as Prime Minister in 2002," he said.
Deuba said he is currently abroad for long-term medical treatment.