Former home minister Ramesh Lekhak has reached Singha Durbar on Monday to testify before the inquiry commission formed to investigate the incidents of September 8 and 9.

Lekhak, who faces allegations of authorising the use of excessive force during the Gen Z uprising, arrived at the commission’s office around noon. After completing his testimony, he is scheduled to brief journalists at the Nepali Congress parliamentary party office in Singha Durbar.

The inquiry commission, led by former judge Gauri Bahadur Karki, on Tuesday summoned Lekhak, who was home minister during the anti-corruption protests that left 77 people dead and scores injured.

The commission is in the final stage of its investigation. It has already recorded statements from the heads of security agencies and senior administrative officials. The erstwhile chief secretary Eknarayan Aryal, then home secretary Gokarna Mani Duwadi, Nepali Army chief Ashokraj Sigdel and Inspector General of Police Chandra Kuber Khapung, among others, have already recorded their statements.

The commission is preparing to record the statement of then prime minister KP Sharma Oli.

The Karki commission, which was formed in the third week of September, was given three months to study and submit the report. The government extended the deadline by one more month earlier this month.

A government panel assessed the damage caused during the Gen Z movement and submitted a report on December 11. It put the total death toll at 77. It said a total of 2,429 people were injured, of whom 17 were under 13 years of age, while 1,433 were between 13 and 28.

The report estimated total physical damage at Rs84.45 billion. A total of 2,168 government and public bodies were affected, with 2,671 buildings damaged, resulting in losses of around Rs39.31 billion.

According to the report, 12,659 vehicles were damaged, causing losses worth Rs12.93 billion. Overall, losses in the government and public sector amounted to Rs44.93 billion, the private sector Rs33.54 billion, and community and other sectors Rs5.97 billion.