KATMANDU, Nepal, April 29 (UPI) -- The former prime minister of Nepal, Sher Bahadur Deuba, has defied a royal anti-corruption panel, calling it "unconstitutional."
Deuba was taken from his home Wednesday by about 50 police officers when he refused to appear voluntarily before the Royal Corruption Control Commission, the BBC reported Thursday.
When questioned over his role in a multimillion-dollar water project, the former prime minister refused to answer on the grounds that the panel is "unconstitutional." Deuba has denied any wrongdoing and argues that the arrest was "politically motivated."
The commission was set up after King Gyanendra sacked a coalition government led by Deuba in February and seized direct powers. It has sweeping powers to investigate, arrest and punish anyone on charge of corruption. Furthermore, it can detain suspects for up to six months and impose fines if suspects are deemed to have "obstructed" its investigations.
In response to Deuba's refusal to reply, the commission put him in custody for one week.
U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan said in India Thursday that he had asked King Gyanendra to restore democracy in the Himalayan kingdom and that he would be sending a human rights team to Nepal soon to monitor the situation there.
