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KP Sharma Oli and Ramesh Lekhak were released from police custody on Thursday following a Supreme Court order, with authorities continuing their investigation into a homicide-related case. The court granted the release of the former prime minister and former home minister on the condition that they appear before police whenever summoned. The decision came during a hearing on a habeas corpus petition filed on their behalf. While ordering their release, the court instructed investigators to either complete the probe by Friday, or proceed with their task while keeping the accused outside custody. Police said the release of Oli and Lekhak does not indicate a lack of evidence but reflects procedural constraints. Investigators were unable to complete key tasks within the court-mandated timeframe and could not submit the case to the government attorney’s office by the deadline. Following approval from the government attorney’s office, Kathmandu police formally released Oli and Lekhak. Now that they are no longer in custody, authorities are no longer bound by the 25-day deadline typically required to file charges in custodial cases. Since the case involves alleged homicide and the accused are out on bail, there is no strict legal deadline to register the case in court. Over the 13-day detention period, investigators reviewed findings from the Karki Commission, which had recommended legal action against both leaders. Authorities also collected statements from victims’ families, injured individuals, and the accused themselves, in the presence of government attorneys. Police compiled supporting materials including site inspection reports, inquest and postmortem reports, and other relevant documents. Police have not yet submitted the investigation report to the government attorney’s office, stating that the investigation work is still incomplete. Tasks such as recording statements from individuals related to the incident as witnesses, preparing documentation, and collecting incident reports from the doctors involved in the treatment are still pending. According to police, key aspects—such as how the situation escalated to the point where gunfire occurred, who played what role at the scene, and who gave what kind of orders—are still under investigation. The Karki Commission report holds both Oli and Lekhak responsible and recommends charges under Sections 181 and 182 of Nepal’s National Penal Code. Section 181 pertains to causing death through negligence. Despite their release, officials have emphasized that the investigation remains active and further legal action will depend on the strength of evidence gathered in the coming days.