New Delhi, Feb 21 (PTI) The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has charge-sheeted one more accused in a 2019 case relating to interception and recovery of lethal and prohibited arms and ammunition in Purnea area of Bihar, an official said on Wednesday.
The charge sheet against Bhikhan Ganju alias Deepak Kumar, a resident of Chatra in Jharkhand, was filed in the special NIA court, Patna under various sections of Indian Penal Code, Arms Act and Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act on Tuesday, a spokesperson of the federal agency said.
With this, a total of eight accused have been charge-sheeted by the NIA, which has so far arrested nine accused in the case.
The Bihar Police had registered an FIR on February 7, 2019, following the interception of a consignment of highly sophisticated illegal weapons, being smuggled from across the Myanmar border. The consignment, comprising Under Barrel Grenade Launchers and a large number of 5.56×45 mm ammunition, was meant for supply to the Maoists and members of Organized Criminal Syndicates for carrying out terror attacks in various parts of the country.
The case was originally registered against accused Suraj, V R Kahorangam, Clearson Kabo, Mukesh Singh, Santosh and other unknown persons. It was subsequently taken over and re-registered by NIA on February 28, 2019.
Earlier, charge-sheets were filed by the NIA in August 2019, November 2019 and March 2020.
The spokesperson said the investigations have revealed that Ganju is the zonal commander of Tritiya Prastuti Committee (TPC), which has been declared a terrorist gang/unlawful association by the Jharkhand government under Section 16 of Criminal Law Amendment Act, 1908.
He was involved in extorting levy from coal transporters and contractors in Jharkhand by threatening them with death or grievous injury through cadres carrying deadly arms, the official said.
Investigations further showed that Ganju was procuring arms and ammunition from a co-accused to strengthen TPC’s foothold in Jharkhand and to commit acts to spread terror and violence, the spokesperson said. PTI SKL SZM KVK KVK
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