4 ex-ministers loyal to Nepal king arrested

There was no immediate comment from the home ministry, but a family member of former government spokesman Shrish Shumshere Rana said he was being held on charges of plotting against the new administration.

"He has been accused of conspiring against the current government," said the relative on condition of anonymity.

The relative added that Rana was arrested by plainclothes police on Friday afternoon.

Former Home Minister Kamal Thapa and ex-Foreign Minister Ramesh Nath Pandey were arrested at around the same time, according to police and family members.

"My father has been served a 90-day arrest warrant and has been taken to police barracks," said Pandey's son Nischal Nath Pandey.

Local media said the three were arrested on the orders of the home ministry.

Former local development minister Tanka Dhakal was the fourth man detained Friday, state-run media reported.

Two senior Maoist leaders, just released from jail, urged Nepal's new government on Friday to free hundreds of their jailed comrades before starting peace talks to end a decade-long revolt.

But Matrika Yadav and Suresh Ale Magar, who were released on Thursday, said Maoist prisoners should be first be freed and information provided about hundreds of others who they said had disappeared after being detained by security forces on suspicion of being a Maoist or a supporter.