Police raided the residence of Koshi Province Minister for Internal Affairs and Law, Indramani Parajuli, in Biratnagar late at night on Thursday.
According to a source at the Ministry of Internal Affairs, police entered Minister Parajuli's quarters located near the Law Campus in Biratnagar-3 around 11 p.m. and carried out a search.
The reason for the police operation at the residence of Parajuli, a UML leader who was elected to the provincial assembly from Dhankuta for a second term, has not been disclosed.
Parajuli, who was outside of Biratnagar, did not wish to speak openly about the matter.
"I am outside, in the Sankhuwasabha area. I only learned about it after neighbors informed me that police had come and carried out certain activities," he said.
According to a staff member at the minister's residence, a group of police officers arrived around 11 p.m. and searched the rooms inside the residence.
The issue has also been raised in the House of Representatives. During Friday's House meeting, lawmaker Rajendra Rai from Dhankuta brought up the matter.
"He was apparently in Sankhuwasabha. Why is the new government conducting a search of his home while he is away and alone? Why did it happen? How did it happen, and what exactly took place?" he questioned.
When asked why police had raided the minister's residence, Superintendent of Police Kabit Katuwal, chief of Morang Police, denied that a raid had taken place.
"False information has been circulated. We did not conduct a raid. Police went there after receiving information that a person was hiding there," SP Katuwal said. "The police did not enter the residence. They returned from outside."
He said that the police did not enter the residence as the information turned out to be incorrect. However, he did not clarify how the police determined whether or not anyone was hiding inside without entering the residence.
Bikram Luitel, press advisor to Koshi Chief Minister Hikmat Karki, said that action should be taken against the police personnel who raided the minister’s residence without any reason.
