Bengaluru police nab suspected Maoist; acted as a ‘courier’, cops say

Bengaluru: The Bengaluru police’s Central Crime Branch (CCB) arrested a suspected Maoist on Thursday.

The man, identified as Anirudh Rajan, hails from Chennai and is in his 30s. Rajan had been in Bengaluru for the past few days, allegedly operating as a member of the banned Communist Party of India (Maoist), police said.

In a statement released on Friday, the police said Rajan had been in hiding, with his movements closely monitored by the CCB’s Anti-Terrorist Cell (ATC). He was detained on Thursday at the Kempegowda Bus Station in Majestic while attempting to leave the city.

“He was staying with someone in the city, but provided little information when initially detained,” a police source told DH . “It was only during a detailed interrogation that we uncovered his background.”

Rajan was questioned at the CCB's Interrogation Centre in Madiwala, where the police learned that he had been a CPI (Maoist) member for the past five years. The group was outlawed and designated a terrorist organisation by the central government in 2009.

'Acted as a courier'

The CCB revealed that Rajan acted as a courier, helping to expand the Maoist network in northern India. "Preliminary findings suggest that he was organising underground meetings with sympathisers, raising funds and recruiting for the group,” a CCB officer said. “Further investigation is ongoing.”

Authorities recovered a pen drive containing letterheads of the banned outfit, along with other incriminating documents. Rajan was also found with an Aadhaar card under the name ‘Vikas Ghatge’.

A case has been registered by the Upparpet police under relevant sections of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act. Rajan was produced in court on Friday and remanded to police custody for 14 days.