The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Friday arrested two accused and seized an Indian Army uniform, along with arms, ammunition, incriminating devices and documents, cash and jewellery, during raids across four states in a People’s Liberation Front of India (PLFI) extortion and levy collection case.
The accused and suspects were all cadres and sympathisers of the PLFI, a banned terror organisation in Jharkhand. They were involved in a conspiracy to carry out violent acts and commit terrorist activities.
A total of 23 locations connected with the banned outfit and the accused were searched across Jharkhand, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh and New Delhi as part of the NIA action. These included 19 locations in Jharkhand (Gumla, Ranchi, Khunti, Simdega, Palamu, and West Singhbhum districts), one location each in Bihar (Patna district) and Madhya Pradesh (Siddhi district), and two locations in New Delhi.
The two persons arrested during the raids were identified as Raman Kumar Sonu alias Sonu Pandit of Bihar and Nivesh Kumar of south-west district of Delhi. Both the accused are named in the First Information Report (FIR) registered by the NIA in the case (RC-04/2023/NIA-RNC), relating to extortion / levy collection by the leaders, cadres and sympathisers of PLFI in various states of India.
During the searches, two pistols, live rounds (7.86 mm), Rs 3 lakh in cash, incriminating materials, including digital devices (mobile phones, SIM cards, pen drives, DVR) and documents (diary and a bunch of papers), as well as gold and silver jewellery were seized, in addition to the Indian Army uniform.
The NIA had registered the case suo motu on October 11 under various sections of the IPC and UA(P) Act, 1967, following information about financing of terrorist activities through extortion by PLFI cadres.
The NIA investigations so far have revealed that cadres of the banned organization were involved in generating funds through extortion from various coal traders, transporters, railway contractors and businessmen in Jharkhand, Bihar, Chhattisgarh and Odisha. They were also conspiring to commit various terrorist activities, including attacks on the security forces, murder, arson, and use of explosives/IEDs to create terror in society.
As per the investigations, the PLFI cadres were also involved in other nefarious activities, such as recruitment and procurement of arms and ammunition, apart from collection of levy.
Investigations in the ongoing case have further revealed that the leaders, cadres and sympathisers of PLFI were conspiring to revive and expand the organisation in Jharkhand, Bihar, Chhattisgarh and other PLFI-affected states.
Comments
0 comment