KATHMANDU: The Special Court has granted permission to keep CPN (UML) Vice-Chairman and former Finance Minister Bishnu Prasad Paudel in custody for an additional three days for investigations related to money laundering.

A joint bench of Special Court Kathmandu Judges Narayan Prasad Paudel and Umesh Koirala issued the order on Monday to extend Paudel’s detention by three days. With this decision, his custody period has been extended for the fifth time.

The Department of Money Laundering Investigation is currently investigating Paudel in connection with a money laundering case.

As the probe is still ongoing, the department requested the court for a judicial extension, stating that further detention was necessary for the investigation.

Prior to this, the Special Court had granted permission on July 8 to keep Paudel in custody for five days.

He was initially arrested from Surkhet on June 22.

The court issued the latest extension order as the investigation remains underway.