NIA chargesheets 33 Maoists for C'garh MLA's murder

Tribune News ServiceNew Delhi, October 2

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Friday filed a chargesheet against 33 cadres of the outlawed CPI (Maoist) for the murder of Chhattisgarh MLA Bhima Mandavi in 2019.

Agency officials said the chargesheet was filed in a special NIA court in Jagdalpur under the Indian Penal Code, Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, Arms Act and the Explosive Substances Act. Of the 33 accused, six have been arrested, 22 are absconding and five have died.

The arrested persons are Madka Ram Tati, Bhima Ram Tati, Linge Tati, Laxman Jaiswal, Ramesh Kumar Kashyap and Haripal Singh Chauhan — all residents of Chhattisgarh’s naxal-infested Dantewada.

The case relates to an IED blast, followed by indiscriminate firing on April 9, 2019, near Shyamgiri village in Dantewada district, in which Mandavi, then MLA of Dantewada, was killed by cadres of the CPI (Maoist), along with four police personnel of the Chhattisgarh Armed Force (CAF). The arms and ammunition of the slain security personnel were also looted by the assailants, the officials said.

The NIA re-registered the case on May 17, 2019. However, the actual investigation of the case could be taken over only on March 17 this year due to certain legal issues raised by the Chhattisgarh Government, they said.

With no clues available initially, the breakthrough in the case was achieved after examining several witnesses, surrendered Maoist cadres and rigorous technical analysis. The six accused were reportedly providing shelter, food, logistic support, electric wires and steel containers to Naxalites.