Friday, April 29 2005 12:02 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Kathmandu: Deposed Nepal Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba was put under judicial custody till Monday (May 2, 2005) after he refused to testify to the Royal Government's anti-corruption commission, which grilled him for the second day yesterday (Apr 28, 2005), as a dozen political activists including a former Minister were arrested for protesting against the commission.

The Royal Commission for Corruption Control (RCCC) questioned Deuba over alleged irregularities in awarding a multi-million Dollar contract of Asian Development Bank (ADB)-funded Melamchi Drinking Water Project as also the misuse of PM's fund.

Since Deuba, the most senior politician to be arrested by the anti-corruption commission, refused to speak, he was put in judicial custody until Monday.

Deuba was arrested from his house after a predawn raid on Wednesday (Apr 27, 2005) and taken to the Police Training Centre at Maharajgunj for detention.

Yesterday also he was brought to the RCCC's office at Nayabaneshwor but Deuba declined to give any explanation, questioning the legality of the anti-graft body formed by King Gyanendra following his February 1 power grab.

Nepalese police arrested four women leaders including a former assistance minister and eight students belonging to Nepali Congress (Democratic) after they staged demonstrations in front of RCCC's Nayabeneshwor office, party sources said.

The arrested include ex-Assistant Tourism Minister Bhim Kumari Budha; Vice-President of the Nepal Women's Association affiliated to the NC (Democratic) Ishwori Neupane and its central committee members Sita Gurung and Shanta Sharma.

Eight student activists belonging to NC (D)-affiliated Nepal Students Union were also arrested, the sources said.

Meanwhile, the five major political parties in the Himalayan Kingdom yesterday held a meeting to discuss launching a joint agitation demanding King Gyanendra to restore democratic rights suspended after the royal takeover.

Former Prime Minister and Rashtriya Janashakti Party President Surya Bahadur Thapa and former Deputy Prime Minister and CPN-UML leader Bharat Mohan Adhikari were among those who attended the meeting at the NC (Democratic) office yesterday to discuss a common agenda for the joint agitation.