Nepal Police on Sunday arrested former minister for internal affairs and law of Koshi Province Lilaballabh Adhikari from Biratnagar. Adhikari, who is accused of human trafficking, was apprehended after receiving permission from the court.

According to sources at the Ministry of Home Affairs, Adhikari is being brought to Kathmandu on an aircraft shortly.

On Saturday, his party CPN-UML suspended Adhikari from the party responsibilities following allegations of involvement in a human trafficking case.

The controversy emerged when Adhikari, along with three other individuals, was sent back from Tokyo after being flagged by Japanese immigration due to suspicious documentation. Adhikari, who reportedly bypassed required travel protocols, subsequently resigned from his ministerial post amidst mounting ethical concerns.

Nepal Police’s initial findings show that those who allegedly forged passports and went to Japan with Adhikari had paid over Rs1 million each to attend an event in Tokyo.

Adhikari departed for Japan on October 29 without informing the authorities concerned to attend an event organised by the Tokyo Metropolitan.

The other three individuals who accompanied him were detained for investigation by the police, but Adhikari had avoided arrest by presenting his ministerial identification.

Adhikari, a lawyer by profession, represents Morang Constituency 2(b) and has served multiple terms in the provincial assembly.

Organising a press meet immediately after tendering his resignation from the ministerial position, he claimed that he wasn’t involved in any illegal activity.