NIA chargesheets 2 CPI (Maoist) members in Jharkhand for alleged terror financing activities

New Delhi: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has filed a charge sheet against two Communist Party of India (Maoist) members in a special court in Jharkhand for their alleged involvement in a terror financing network linked to the banned outfit's attempts to revive Naxal activities in the Magadh region, an official said Tuesday.

The charge sheet was filed before the NIA Special Court in Ranchi against Vijay Kumar Arya alias 'Dilip' and Anand Paswan alias 'Anandi Paswan', both residents of Bihar, on Monday, a spokesperson of the federal agency said.

The official said Arya and Paswan have both been charged under various sections of the Indian Penal Code and the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act. Paswan was additionally charged with a section of the Arms Act as well.

The spokesperson said the case was registered suo motu by the NIA on December 30, 2021, in its efforts to dismantle the terror infrastructure established in the country by CPI (Maoist) to carry out activities related to terror and violence.

So far, five accused — Tarun Kumar, Pradyuman Sharma, Abinav alias Gaurav, Anandi Paswan and Vijay Kumar Arya — have been arrested. The first three arrested accused were charge-sheeted on January 20 and June 28 this year.

As part of their sinister criminal conspiracy, the accused were collecting funds for procurement of arms and ammunition and for recruitment of new cadre members in liaison with incarcerated Naxals and over-ground workers lodged in various jails, the official said.

The NIA said investigations have revealed that Arya was a Central Committee Member of the CPI (Maoist) while Paswan was a key supporter and ex-member of the banned organisation.

Arya was found involved in motivating the ex-cadre members, and was also working as a conduit between the outfit's operatives and other stakeholders of the CPI (Maoist) Magadh Zone in Jharkhand and Bihar, the spokesperson said, adding that Paswan was also in possession of arms and ammunition.