The Supreme Court has refused to release Pradeep Adhikari, then director general of the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN), from custody.
Following a hearing on Friday, a bench of Justices Hari Prasad Phuyal and Shanti Singh Thapa upheld the Special Court's previous order to keep Adhikari in custody.
On December 7, 2025, the Special Court had ordered Adhikari to be sent to custody on charges of corruption related to the construction of the Nalinchowk Heliport in Bhaktapur.
Adhikari had filed a petition at the Supreme Court on Wednesday challenging that detention order.
After hearing the arguments, the apex court issued an order to "proceed according to the law."
"The order to proceed according to the law means the petitioner's request was not granted. It signifies that the existing legal proceedings must continue as they were," said Joint Registrar Arjun Prasad Koirala, spokesperson for the court.
The Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA) had filed a case against Adhikari, five other individuals, and one company on December 3, 2025. It had claimed Rs 135.75 million in damages from them.
