NIA attaches over Rs 20 cr in CPI (Maoist) case

Striking a major blow to the funding of Left-Wing Extremism, National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Friday attached 152 bank accounts and one SBI Mutual Fund account containing a total of Rs 20.65 crore belonging to a firm and its associates.

The attachment of over Rs 20 crore on Friday is the largest amount to be attached by the NIA in Left-Wing Extremism cases, the agency said in a statement.

According to NIA statement, these accounts of Santosh Construction had earlier been frozen under the provisions of the CrPC but have been found to be "proceeds of terrorism" during investigations warranting their "attachment" under under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act.

Investigations by the NIA had revealed that the accused Mrityunjay Kumar Singh alias Sonu Singh, one of the partners of Santosh Construction, had a close nexus with top CPI (Maoist) cadres. He had provided cash funds to Maoist cadre Ravindra Ganjhu, a Regional Committee Member of CPI (Maoist) for furtherance of Maoist activities.

These facts have come to light during the investigation of case pertaining to an attack on the PCR vehicle of Chandwa police station, killing of four police personnel and looting their arms, ammunition etc., on November 22, 2019 at Lukaiya More, under Chandwa PS limits, Latehar district in Jharkhand by the armed cadres of CPI (Maoist), led by Ganjhu, the statement said.

NIA statement said, a day before this incident, at Beerjangha forest, Mrityunjay Kumar Singh met Ravindra Ganjhu and gave him Rs 2 lakh, which was used for preparation and execution of the above-mentioned attack. NIA had taken over the investigation of this case in June 2020. And in October 2020, NIA had seized over Rs 2.5 lakhs from his house, which were also found to be "proceeds of terrorism and therefore attached in April 2022.

Investigations have shown that Mrityunjay Kumar Singh alias Sonu Singh continued to fund the CPI (Maoist) and their activities, even after the Lukaiya More incident. He gave Rs 5 lakhs to couriers of Ravindra Ganjhu namely Baijnath Ganjhu, Rajesh Ganjhu and Kunwar Ganjhu in January 2020. The couriers were intercepted with this money and a case was registered at Chandwa police station. Investigation of this case has been transferred to NIA as well.

During investigations, the said bank accounts had been frozen by the NIA between February 2021 and February 2023.

Santosh Construction initially moved the Jharkhand High Court by way of a Writ Petition for unfreezing the six major bank accounts, which was dismissed in August 2022 and they also filed an SLP before the Supreme Court of India, which was also dismissed on January 3, 2023.

( With inputs from ANI )