SURKHET: Bishnu Prasad Paudel, Vice Chairman of the CPN (UML), has been arrested in Surkhet.

Vice Chairman Paudel, who had arrived in Surkhet to collect suggestions regarding the reorganization of the party, was arrested from Shubha Hotel in Birendranagar, Surkhet.

A team from the District Police Office, Surkhet, arrived and arrested Paudel while the feedback collection program was actively underway in the hall of Shubha Hotel.

He had arrived in Surkhet on Sunday evening and was staying at the Shubha Hotel.

The program had commenced on Monday morning.

Representatives from all ten districts of the province were participating in the event.

Along with Paudel, other senior leaders including Shankar Pokharel, Prithvi Subba Gurung, and Ram Bahadur Thapa had also arrived in Surkhet.

The feedback collection program was chaired by Yamlal Kandel, the Chief Minister of Karnali Province and UML Secretary.

Thapa was the chief guest, while Paudel and Gurung attended as guests.

The program was conducted by the UML Province Chairman, Gulab Jung Shah.

During the event, representatives from all ten districts were scheduled to provide their suggestions regarding the reorganization of the UML.

Before the police arrested Paudel, representatives from Humla, Jumla, Mugu, Kalikot, Dolpa, Salyan, and Rukum Paschim had already presented their feedback.

The representative from Dailekh was speaking, while representatives from Surkhet and Jajarkot were yet to speak.

A 10-member team, led by Surkhet Police Chief Thakur Prasad Pokharel, arrived at the hotel to arrest Vice Chairman Paudel while he was listening to the suggestions.

The police quietly called him outside under the pretext of having “some work” and took him into custody.

Paudel, who is also a former Finance Minister, was under investigation by the Department of Money Laundering Investigation for money laundering offenses.

Just moments before his arrest, the Surkhet Police had received an email from the department containing the arrest warrant.

“An emergency arrest warrant issued by the Department of Money Laundering Investigation was received at 5:15 PM. Following due legal process, the individual was arrested and handed over to the police along with the original documents for further necessary action,” stated a press note issued by the District Police Office.

Surkhet Police have sent him to Nepalgunj in a vehicle under the custody of Police Inspector Shyam Prasad Yadav.

According to the police, preparations are underway to fly him to Kathmandu via an airplane on Tuesday.