The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Tuesday raided 14 places in Bihar and Jharkhand in connection with the Naxalite conspiracy case. The searches at eight locations in Jharkhand included the Ranchi office of the Vyasthan Virodhi Jan Vikas Andolan (VVJVA) and houses of Maoist associates and supporters in Bokaro, Dhanbad, Ramgarh and Giridih districts. While in Bihar, searches were conducted at six places in Khagaria, Gaya and Aurangabad districts.
The agency said the suspects whose houses were searched have links with the Politburo and Central Committee members of the Maoists. Incriminating documents related to the activities of the banned organisation, several mobile phones, DVD discs, documents related to Mazdoor Sangathan Samiti (MSS) and VVJVA as well as bank account details were also seized during the raid.
On April 25 last year, the NIA conducted operations against members of the Politburo and Central Committee of Naxalites in these two states as well as other Indian states including Chhattisgarh under various sections of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967 and the Indian Penal Code. A case was registered for hatching a conspiracy to spread ideology.
The NIA said, these members were in touch with jailed Naxalite cadre and overground workers to further their objectives. Misir Besra, Vivek, Anal Da, Pramod Mishra, Nambala Keshav Rao, Muppal Lakshmana Rao, Mallojula Venugopal, Katakam Sudarshan, Gajrala Ravi, Modem Balakrishnan, Sabyasachi Goswami and Prashant Bose and others have been named in the FIR.
NIA arrests one more accused in PFI case
The NIA on Tuesday arrested one more accused in connection with the illegal and anti-national activities of the banned Popular Front of India (PFI) in Bihar’s Phulwari Sharif case. The arrested accused has been identified as Anwar Rashid, a resident of Sant Ravidas Nagar, Uttar Pradesh.
The NIA said that his arrest came after a detailed examination and analysis by the NIA of various incriminating documents, digital devices and letters seized during searches at his house on April 25 this year. With his arrest, the number of people arrested in this case has increased to 14. The agency said investigation has revealed that Anwar is a former member of banned terrorist outfit SIMI and is currently linked to several PFI members from Bihar and Uttar Pradesh, including Athar Parvez, who was named in the FIR and Was arrested on July 12 last year.
As per the NIA investigation, Anwar was instrumental in grooming a secret group of former SIMI members to work for the PFI. The main agenda under the banner of PFI was to establish ‘Islamic rule’ in India as envisioned in the organisation’s ‘India 2047 document’. The NIA said that further investigation is on in the matter.