The Kathmandu District Court on Monday issued arrest warrants against senior leaders of the Communist Party of Nepal led by Netra Bikram Chand ‘Biplav’.

The court issued the arrest notice against the party chief Chand, standing committee member Khadga Bahadur Bishwakarma ‘Prakanda’, Kathmandu Valley Bureau in-charge Maila Lama ‘Prajwal’, and Raju Karki, chair of the All Nepal Peasants’ Federation Revolutionary.

The court has asked them to be present at the court with all the evidence they have within 35 days (except the travel time) of issuance of the arrest warrant notice. “Otherwise, the case will take its legal course,” the court has said in its notice. “Later, your complaints will have no effect.”

The district court said it issued the arrest warrant according to the court order passed on November 26 in response to a sedition case filed against the leaders over two months ago.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Pushpa Kamal Dahal has expressed discontent over issuance of arrest warrant against the leaders. He said the court's action has created complications in the political deal reached earlier between the government and the Chand-led group with a view to bring them in peaceful politics.

"I heard this. But it is wrong because the government has forged an agreement with them and they are now in peaceful politics," the prime minister said in an interaction with a group of editors at Singhadurbar on Monday. "Now they shouldn't be cornered and put in difficulty. I will study the matter in detail and will make things clear."

The splinter faction of the former Maoist party led violent underground politics under the leadership of Chand even after the CPN (Maoist) joined the government in Dahal's leadership.

Chand's party rejoined mainstream politics after signing a three-point deal with then KP Sharma Oli-led government in March 2021.

His organisation is also a constituent of four-party grouping led by Prime Minister Dahal formed earlier this year in July.

The party, which advocates against the present system of parliamentary democracy, has no presence in Parliament as it has been boycotting elections so far.