New Delhi: In a major seizure linked with the CPI (Maoist) Magadh Zone attempted revival case, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Tuesday seized funds extorted from contractors and others in Bihar and Jharkhand, which were used to finance the medical studies of a relative of some of the accused.
The money, amounting to Rs. 1,13,70,500, was seized under section 25(1) of the UA(P) Act. This case was registered suo moto by the NIA on December 30, 2021.
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NIA investigations have revealed that the said amount had been directly transferred to the bank account of a Medical College in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, for the medical education of a relative of a senior Maoist leader. The transfer was done through the bank accounts of close relatives of the accused persons, under the guise of a loan amount.
The beneficiary of the funds extorted by CPI Maoist is the niece of the FIR-named, charge-sheeted accused, and Special Area Committee member of CPI Maoist, Pradyuman Sharma. She is also the sister of arrested, charge-sheeted accused Tarun Kumar, and cousin of arrested, charge-sheeted accused Abhinav alias Gaurav alias Bittu.
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NIA had, on January 20, 2023, filed a chargesheet before its Special Court, Ranchi, Jharkhand, against two accused persons under various sections of the IPC and UA (P) Act. In June last year, it filed its first supplementary chargesheet in the case against one more accused, followed by a second supplementary chargesheet against two others in December 2023.
Further investigations into the case are continuing.