NIA seizes over Rs 1 crore used for funding studies of Maoist leader's relative

New Delhi: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Tuesday seized more than Rs 1 crore, extorted from contractors and others in Bihar and Jharkhand, which was being used to finance medical studies of a relative of a senior Maoist leader.

The seizure came as part of the agency's probe into a 2021 case pertaining to a conspiracy hatched by members of the banned outfit CPI (Maoist) for its revival in Magadh zone and to raise funds for the organisation.

"In a major seizure linked with the CPI (Maoist) Magadh zone attempted revival case, the NIA on Tuesday seized, as proceeds of terrorism, funds extorted from contractors and others in Bihar and Jharkhand which were used to finance the medical studies of a relative of some of the accused," the probe agency said in a statement.

Magadh division in Bihar largely covers areas falling under Gaya, Nawada, Aurangabad, Jehanabad and Arwal districts.

The money, amounting to Rs 1,13,70,500, has been seized in the case registered suo motu by the NIA on December 30, 2021, the statement said.

 "NIA investigations revealed that the said amount had been directly transferred to the bank account of a medical college in Chennai, Tamil Nadu for the medical education of a relative of a senior Maoist leader," it said.

The transfer was done through bank accounts of close relatives of the accused persons, under the garb of a loan amount, it added.

 "The beneficiary of the funds extorted by CPI (Maoist) is the niece of the FIR named charge sheeted accused and Special Area Committee member of CPI (Maoist) Pradyuman Sharma. She is also sister of arrested charge sheeted accused Tarun Kumar, and cousin of arrested charge sheeted accused Abhinav alias Gaurav alias Bittu," the NIA said.

  The NIA had, on January 20 last year, filed a charge sheet before its special court in Ranchi, Jharkhand against two accused persons under various sections of Indian Penal Code and the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act.

In June last year, the agency had filed its first supplementary charge sheet in the case against one more accused, followed by a second supplementary charge sheet against two others in December 2023, the statement said.