The government on Friday released NC-Democratic (NC-D) President Sher Bahadur Deuba from house arrest, officials confirmed.

According to sources, over 20 leaders and cadres of various political parties including former home minister Purna Bahadur Khadka, spokesperson of the NC-D Minendra Prasad Rijal, former parliamentarian of the Nepali Congress Hari Bhakta Adhikari and NC leader Haribol Bhattrai were also released on Friday afternoon. The leaders were detained on February 1.

Talking to Nepalnews upon his release, NC-D spokesperson Minendra Rijal said he was released from the 1st battalion of the Armed Police Force in Naxal while 17 more leaders and cadres of various parties including former parliamentarian of the Nepali Congress Hari Bhakta Adhikari were released from Kharipati.

UML general secretary Madhav Kumar Nepal, Nepali Congress president Girija Prasad Koirala and People’s Front Nepal president Amik Sherchan are still under house arrest after the February 1 political change in Nepal.