KATHMANDU: Rajesh Jha, also known as ‘Ahiraj’ and a former chief of Madhesh Province during KP Sharma Oli’s premiership, has been arrested in Kathmandu on charges related to a rape case filed earlier this year.

According to SP Apil Raj Bohora, spokesperson for the Kathmandu District Police, Jha was taken into custody on Sunday based on a complaint registered on Falgun 3, 2081 BS. The Kathmandu District Court has granted police a five-day remand to continue the investigation.

The complaint was lodged by a young woman under a pseudonym, who accused Jha of repeatedly raping her, starting when she was just 17 years old, a minor under Nepali law. She alleged that she was subjected to both physical and psychological abuse over an extended period.

Following the complaint, police began the process to issue an arrest warrant. However, Jha had reportedly fled to India, temporarily evading authorities.

The case first came to light when the victim approached the National Women’s Commission, which then facilitated her contact with Kathmandu District Police. The official complaint was filed on Magh 10, 2081, and the Kathmandu Women and Children Service Center initiated an investigation soon after. The case was formally registered with the police on Falgun 3, 2081.

Jha, who has often identified himself as both a nationalist and a Madhesi activist, was appointed as Madhesh Province’s chief on Falgun 7, 2077 BS. His arrest marks a significant development in the ongoing investigation into allegations of sexual violence involving political figures.