NIA chargesheets 16 in Jharkhand CPI (Moist) arms seizure case

A supplementary charge sheet was filed on Saturday, charging twenty-five accused individuals in the matter.

New Delhi: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has filed a supplementary charge sheet against sixteen accused, including a woman in the CPI (Maoist) arms and ammunition seizure case of Jharkhand, an official said here on Sunday.

The supplementary charge sheet was filed on Saturday. As of now, the probe agency has chargesheeted twenty five accused in this matter. Jharkhand Police, which were handling the matter intially, had filed the first charge sheet on May 18, 2021 against nine accused under various sections of IPC, Arms Act, Explosive Substances Act, CLA Act, and UA(P) Act.

---

The case relates to the arrest of CPI (Maoist) cadres and the seizure of a huge cache of arms and ammunition from P.S Peshrar, Lohardaga, Jharkhand. This case was initially registered at the local Police Station on February 21, 2022. Later, it was transferred to the NIA on June 14, 2022.

After taking over the matter, the NIA conducted several raids in the forest area of Bulbul, where CPI (Maoist) Regional Commander Ravindra Ganjhu, along with active cadres Balram Oraon, Muneshwar Ganjhu, Balak Ganjhu, Dinesh Nagesia, Aghnu Ganjhu, Lajim Ansari, Markush Nagesia, Sanjay Nagesia, Sheela Kherwar, Lalita Devi and around 40-60 others, had assembled to conspire and plan violent attacks on the security forces and in the Bauxite Mines area.

A joint operation was conducted by the local police and the CRPF, during which the CPI (Maoist) cadres had fired indiscriminately on the security forces on the way to Bahabar Jungle, at Harkatta Toli and Bangla Pat. Search of the area surrounding the firing had later led to the recovery of a large quantity of arms, ammunition, explosives and other items.

The NIA investigations have revealed that the armed cadres and members of CPI (Maoist), a proscribed terrorist organisation, had hatched a conspiracy to carry out violent acts and unlawful activities and endanger the security of India. Their plan was to destabilise the democratically elected government by committing terrorist acts and violence attacks.

Investigations have further established that CPI (Maoist) top Commanders and armed cadres had entered into a criminal conspiracy at Budha Pahar during August-September, 2022, and had decided to take revenge against the arrest of senior CPI (Maoist) leader Prashant Bose.

They had intended to carry out terrorist acts against the security forces and the Police.