NIA files first supplementary in Naxal terror financing case

New Delhi [India], June 28 : National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Wednesday filed its first supplementary chargesheet in the CPI (Maoist) or Naxal terror financing case which involved conspiracy aimed at reviving the banned outfit's Magadh Zone of Bihar.

The chargesheet was filed before the NIA Special Court in Ranchi against 22-year-old Abhinav alias Gaurav Kumar alias Bittu, a resident of Bihar's Aurangabad district.

Abhinav, who was arrested on January 3 this year, has been charged under various sections of the Indian Penal Code and Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967.

A member of CPI (Maoist), Abhinav was part of the conspiracy to raise funds for the banned terrorist organisation, according to NIA probe.

"Abhinav was also found to have motivated ex-cadres of CPI (Maoist) for the revival of CPI (Maoist) in Magadh Zone, and worked as a conduit between the outfit's operatives and other stakeholders of Magadh Zone in Jharkhand and Bihar," NIA said.

The probe agency had registered suo moto case after it discovered that CPI (Maoist) cadres and Overground Workers (OWGs) were running a terror funding network.

The conspiracy was aimed at raising funds for the procurement of arms and ammunition and recruitment of new cadres, in active liaison with incarcerated Naxals and OWGs lodged in various jails in order to revive and strengthen Naxal activities in the Magadh region.

The NIA had arrested three other accused Tarun Kumar, Pradyuman Sharma and Anandi Paswan, along with Abhinav in the case. The agency had charge-sheeted two accused on January 20 this year.

According to NIA investigations, Pradyuman Sharma, along with others, had hatched the conspiracy and had been raising funds through various sources, including extortion of contractors, for procurement of arms and ammunition to further their violent and subversive designs. They were also engaged in the training of CPI (Maoist) cadres.

NIA is working to unravel the conspiracy in its entirety.