Wednesday, April 27 2005 09:45 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Kathmandu: Nepal police early today (Apr 27, 2005) arrested former Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba for alleged involvement in irregularities while in office before King Gyanendra seized power, a spokesman for his party said.

"Police arrested former Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba from his residence today morning at around 02:00 am," Minendra Rijal, of the Nepali Congress (Democratic) Party, told sources.

Deuba, 59, was dismissed along with his coalition Government by King Gyanendra who seized power on February 1.

Deuba last week rejected a summons from a royal commission set up to examine alleged irregularities in a drinking water contract.