‘VIP syndrome’ lets the powerful use hospitals to avoid custody
Summary
Prominent individuals in Nepal are exploiting hospitals to evade police custody by feigning illness, leading to public protests and calls for stricter health examination protocols and government oversight.
Key Points
- CPN (UML) Chairperson KP Sharma Oli was admitted to Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital after his arrest, sparking protests accusing him of evading custody.
- Several prominent figures, including Deepak Khadka and Krishna Bahadur Mahara, have used hospital stays post-arrest to avoid police custody.
- The case of Prithvi Malla highlights the misuse of hospital admission to evade prison, despite court orders.
- Experts and authorities, including the Nepal Medical Council and Gen Z leader Pradeep Gyanwali, call for stricter medical examinations and accountability to end the misuse of hospitals for custody evasion.
