New Delhi: A top leader of a frontal organisation linked with the banned CPI (Maoist) terrorist outfit has been arrested by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) in a Chhattisgarh terror funding case, according to a NIA release.
Raghu Midiyami, leader of Moolwasi Bachao Manch (MBM), was taken into custody by the NIA on Thursday, February 27. MBM is also banned by the Government of Chhattisgarh, the release said.
The Chhattisgarh Police had earlier, in November 2023, arrested and chargesheeted two accused in the case, which was taken over by NIA in February 2024. The police had recovered Rs 6 lakh cash from the duo, identified as members / OGWs (Over Ground Workers) of MBM.
NIA Arrests Leader of CPI (Maoist) Linked Front in Chhattisgarh Terror Funding Case pic.twitter.com/uCMkNSP63p
— NIA India (@NIA_India) February 28, 2025
Subsequent investigations had revealed Raghu Midiyami to be the leader of MBM, the outfit which has been engaged in the collection, storage and disbursal of funds for CPI (Maoist), for furthering their anti-Bharat agenda.
As per NIA investigations, Raghu Midiyami was the nodal person for the distribution of the funds at the local level for staging and sustaining CPI (Maoist) -led protests. Further investigations are continuing in the case.
It is worth mentioning here that the agency is currently investigating a number of cases linked with the outlawed Maoist outfit in Chhattisgarh.
Earlier the sleuths of the agency on February 24, searched several locations of suspects in connection with Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Birju Ram Taram’s murder case.
The NIA team searched six locations in Mohla-Manpur-Ambagarh Chowki district of Chhattisgarh and bordering Maharashtra, seizing mobile phones, laptops, printers, along with other incriminating materials from the premises of suspects.
The searches were conducted at residential premises of sympathisers and OGWs of the proscribed terrorist organisation as part of NIA’s investigation in the case.
The sympathisers and OGWs were suspected of being involved in harboring, sheltering, and providing logistical assistance to armed cadres of CPI (Maoist) involved in the brutal killing of Birju Taram.
The BJP leader was shot dead with an INSAS rifle in October 2023 and the case was taken over by NIA on March 8, 2024.
(With inputs from ANI)
