The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has arrested as many as two active cadres and sympathisers of the banned Peoples Liberation Front of India (PLFI), a splinter group of the outlawed Communist Party of India (Maoist), active mainly in Jharkhand, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, and Madhya Pradesh, in connection with the PLFI’s extortion and levy case on Friday, December 15.
The arrest was made following an extensive search operation carried out by the central agency in more than 20 locations in Jharkhand, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, and New Delhi, leading to the seizure of an army uniform, arms and ammunition, incriminating devices, jewellery, documents, and cash.
According to the information received, the raids were conducted at as many as 19 locations linked to the PLFI in Jharkhand, including premises linked to the banned outfit in Gumla, Ranchi, Simdega, Khunti, Palamu, and West Singhbhum districts. Additionally, raids were also conducted at one location each in Patna district of Bihar and Siddhi district of Madhya Pradesh, while two locations were raided in the capital, New Delhi.
The persons arrested by the federal investigative agency have been identified as Raman Kumar Sonu, alias Sonu Pandit, a resident of Bihar, and Nivesh Kumar, a resident of South-West district of Delhi. Both the arrested accused have already been named in a FIR registered by the NIA in a case pertaining to extortion and levy collection by the leaders, cadres, and sympathisers of the proscribed PLFI, informed the agency in a press note issued on Friday, December 15.
The agency has also seized two pistols, live cartridges of 7.86 mm, incriminating materials, including digital devices such as pen drives, mobile phones, SIM cards, and DVRs, along with Rs3 lakhs in cash. Further, the sleuths of the agency have also seized an army uniform, jewellery made of silver and gold along with a few documents, including diaries, and bunch of papers during the raids.
It is to be noted that the NIA registered the case suo moto on October 11, 2023, under various sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA) following information about the financing of terrorist activities through extortion by PLFI cadres.
According to the investigation conducted by the NIA so far, it has been established that the cadres of the PLFI were involved in generating funds through extortion from various coal traders, railway contractors, transporters, and businessmen in Jharkhand, Bihar, Odisha and Chhattisgarh. The cadres of the banned organisation were also involved in conspiring to commit various terrorist activities, including attacks on the security forces, murder, arson, and the use of explosives/ Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) to create terror in society.
The investigation has further also revealed that the members of the banned outfit were also involved in the procurement of arms and ammunition and recruitment to further expand the PLFI’s footprint in other regions, such as Bihar and Chhattisgarh.
People’s Liberation Front of India
Led by self-styled supremo Dinesh Gope, PLFI is mainly a Jharkhand-based left-wing extremist outfit that is responsible for hundreds of acts of terror, including murder, levy extortion, and other illegal activities. The banned outfit is accused of luring unemployed youth by luring them with money, arms, and two-wheelers to expand their network and carried out terrorist activities such as launching attacks on security forces and on government establishments.
Earlier, the outfit leader Dinesh Gope was arrested by the sleuths of the NIA in connection with a 2016 case of extortion from New Delhi in May this year. At the time of his arrest, a bounty of Rs 30 lakh announced by the Jharkhand government, and the NIA was already in place on Gope. The NIA has also been investigating the terror funding activities and alleged investment of Gope in shell companies.
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