Gyanendra Jha and Dhowjman Moktan, two accused-turned-witnesses in the corruption scandal involving former commissioner of the Commission for Investigation of Abuse of Authority,  Raj Narayan Pathak, have demanded government protection.

They have submitted separate applications to the CIAA and the Prime Minister’s Office demanding guarantee of safety of their persons and property.

Jha and Moktan have claimed that they had received several threat calls before the video of Pathak admitting to accepting bribe from Lambodar Neupane, executive board member of Nepal Engineering College, became public.    

The threats stopped after the video came out. But Jha and Moktan still feel threatened from Pathak.

“There is a reason to fear Pathak. He and I come from the same area in Mahottari. I know his character very well,” Jha said.

Jha, who confessed to handing over bribe money on behalf of Lambodar to Pathak, 

Jha had provided graft to Pathak on the behalf of Lambodar Neupane, who sought to bring the college registered as community college under his personal ownership, to settle the issue after an complaint was registered at the CIAA against his move.

The duo have registered seperate applications at CIAA and the Prime Minister’s Office demanding security. On March 12, Moktan registered an application at the PMO demanding security claiming that lives of his and his friend Jha are in danger.

On March 14, Jha registered another application at the CIAA demanding security.

Jha stated in the application that he faced threat to his life and property for playing important role to bring Pathak to book.

On March 26, the CIAA filed corruption case against Pathak and Neupane at the Special Court.

Jha and Moktan said that although the government has not mobilized security personnel for the security visibly, they have been informed that they are being watched after the applications were registered. As the CIAA has sought to present them as witness on the behalf of the government,  they feel that their security should be ensured.

According to them, the government has asked them to be alert when they have travel somewhere and inform the security agencies. Moktan, who is also cadre  of a ruling Nepal Communist Party, said that he had notified the party when he visited Sarlahi last week  and New Delhi recently.  “I felt it would be enough to inform the party,” he said.

According to them, they have not got direct threat after videos involving Pathak were leaked.

But, they said that they still expect that there might be efforts to harm them for vengeance. Before the videos were leaked, they claimed they faced several threats and also spent two days in police custody at the crime department of Nepal Police.

Between them, Jha was involved in providing graft to Pathak on the behalf of Neupane. As Pathak failed to stop investigation proceeding on college dispute even after allegedly receiving the graft,  Neupane had sought return of the money provided to Pathak.

With Pathak continuing to refusing to return the money, Jha used Moktan, who happens to be is friend, to record audio and visuals of Pathak accepting that he had received the bribe. Those recordings proved to be downfall of Pathak, as he resigned from his post on February 15 and he faced corruption from the same agency established to control corruption.

Neupane, who also faces corruption case along with Pathak is at the large. According to CIAA officials, he had run away through land route after giving his statement to CIAA once.