NIA raids 26 locations in Bihar, Odisha, Andhra Pradesh, Jharkhand in Maoist terror-funding case

New Delhi, February 12

The national Investigation Agency (NIA) on Saturday said it has conducted searches over 26 locations spread over Bihar, Jharkhand, Odisha and Andhra Pradesh in connection with its probe relating to Maoist terror-funding case.

Officials in the agency said with the help of local police, Bihar Special task Force (STF) and the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) the NIA team conducted searches at 26 locations pertaining to the accused persons and suspects.

The officials said searches were conducted at 23 locations in Bihar’s Jehanabad (8), Patna rural (2), Arwal (1), Nalanda (1), Gaya (8), Nawada (1) and Aurangabad (2), they said, adding that in Jharkhand one location in Koderma district was searched. In Odisha one location in Capital Bhubaneswar and one location in Andhra Pradesh’s Nellore were also raided, they said.

“During the searches conducted today, three country-made pistols, one .315 bore rifle, 59 live rounds, several digital devices, naxal literature, incriminating documents and 4 kg of suspected narcotics have been seized,” a senior NIA official said.

The case pertains to network of terror financing being operated by CPI (Maoist) cadres and Over Ground Workers (OGWs) in the Magadh Region of Bihar comprising Patna, Arwal, Gaya and Nalanda, the officials said.

“In furtherance of their sinister motive, attempts are being made to raise funds for procurement of arms and ammunitions and recruitment of new cadres in liaison with incarcerated Naxals and OGWs in various jails in order to revive and strengthen activities of LWEs in this region,” the official alleged, which adding that further investigation in the case continued.