There are fears for the safety of bank manager Janak Raj Shah. On 26 June he was arrested from the premises of the Nepal Bank Limited in Kupondole, Kathmandu, by a group of people in plain clothes, believed to be security forces personnel. His whereabouts are unknown.

According to reports, at around 10.30am a white car with number plate Ba.1.Cha 7017 stopped outside the bank. A man and a woman got out of the car, entered the bank and asked for Janak Raj Shah. They were joined by other men dressed in civilian clothes, also believed to be security forces personnel, who arrested Janak Raj Shah. When colleagues in the bank challenged them to show identification, they said they did not carry any, and were from the security forces. They stated they were taking Janak Raj Shah for interrogation. When other staff in the office tried to intervene, the security forces personnel threatened them and told them to shut up. The men forced Janak Raj Shah into a taxi and took him away.

Relatives registered his arrest at the Lalitpur District Police Office on the same day, but the police there denied his arrest and said he may have been arrested by the army.

The reasons for his arrest are unknown but may be due to the fact that since he had recently visited Calcutta, the authorities may suspect him of having links with groups sympathetic to the Maoist movement in India.

According to the Director of Military Operations at Army HQ, Janak Raj Shaha has been released. The date of release is unknown. His release has not been independently verified and details of his treatment while in custody are not known.