The Supreme Court on Thursday ordered the government to produce Krishna Bahadur Raut, secretary at the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology, before the court within 24 hours.

A single bench of Justice Til Prasad Shrestha ordered the defendants including the Ministry of Home Affairs to present a written clarification through the Office of Attorney General as to why the arrest was made and why not to issue an order as demanded by the plaintiff.

The apex court was responding to a habeas corpus petition by Usha Karki Raut, wife of the secretary, claiming that his arrest was unlawful.

“What actually happened? Why not issue a habeas corpus order as sought by the plaintiff? Submit a written response through the Office of the Attorney General within 24 hours along with the detainee and evidence if there is any reason for not issuing the order demanded by the petitioner,” reads the order by the apex court.

The Central Investigation Bureau (CIB) of Nepal Police on Sunday had arrested three people including Raut for their alleged involvement in transferring the ownership of government land at Lalita Niwas in the name of private individuals.

Lalita Niwas covers some 300 ropanis [around 15 hectares] of land at Baluwatar adjoining the prime minister’s official residence and Nepal Rastra Bank central office and some other residences of top government officials.