Prakash Pathak, who was arrested for issuing death threats to high-ranking officials and leaders, has claimed in his statement that he received 20 million rupees.
The District Government Attorney's Office, Kathmandu, filed a case against Pathak, Pradeep Adhikari, and Tara Prasad Kharel in the Kathmandu District Court on Tuesday.
According to the statement recorded in the charge sheet, Pathak claimed that he received 8 million Philippine pesos equivalent to 20 million Nepali rupees.
Some time ago, Pathak had sent death threats via email to 10 individuals, including Prem Rai, the chief commissioner of the Commission for the Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA). Videos of him were also uncovered.
However, police have concluded that Pradeep Adhikari mobilized Pathak to protect himself from an ongoing corruption case.
“A person named Pradeep Adhikari, in order to influence an ongoing CIAA investigation filed against him, lured me with financial incentives and made me commit criminal acts, including threatening to kill the CIAA chief. It was not my intention to kill the CIAA chief. Pradeep Adhikari made me issue those death threats. The designer, planner, and mastermind behind this conspiracy is Pradeep Adhikari.”
In his statement, Pathak further mentioned receiving the funds through a Chinese intermediary and using that money to purchase an apartment in the Philippines.
"Out of the 8 million pesos I received in the Philippines via hundi (illegal money transfer) through Pradeep Adhikari, I spent 7.065 million pesos to buy an apartment, 450,000 pesos during my previous arrest in the Philippines, 55,000 pesos during an immigration raid, and lent 500,000 pesos to acquaintances from other countries living in the Philippines on the condition that they would return it when needed," he said. He added that the apartment is currently in the process of being transferred to his name.
On the other hand, Adhikari has denied even knowing Pathak.
Following Pathak’s admission regarding the hundi transaction, police had initiated a money laundering investigation as well. However, the charge sheet notes that this investigation is still ongoing.
Authorities are also preparing to write to the CIAA for further investigation into Adhikari for allegedly amassing disproportionate assets while holding public office.
Currently, Pathak faces charges for six offenses, including criminal conspiracy, criminal gain (extortion), hundi-related offenses, violating the Electronic Transactions Act, organized crime, and integrated offenses.
Adhikari faces similar charges to Pathak, excluding offenses related to the Electronic Transactions Act. He is currently in Dilli Bazar Prison awaiting trial for a corruption case.
Tara Prasad has been charged with inciting criminal gain, hundi-related offenses, organized crime, and integrated offenses.
