NIA files charge sheet against 7th accused in Jharkhand PLFI terror case

New Delhi, Sep 26 (IANS) The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Friday filed charge sheets against one more accused in a People’s Liberation Front of India (PLFI) terror conspiracy and extortion case aimed at reviving and strengthening the terrorist group in Jharkhand, an official said.

Krishna Yadav alias Krishna Mahto alias Sultan of Ranchi district of Jharkhand is the seventh accused to be chargesheeted in the case.

In the third supplementary chargesheet filed before the NIA Special Court in Ranchi, he has been charged under various penal provisions and the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act.

The NIA, which had registered the case suo moto in October 2023, found during the investigation that Krishna had conspired with other cadres/members of PLFI, a terrorist gang and an unlawful association, to strengthen and revive the group.

The organisation is engaged in waging war against the government and devising ways to boost extortion/collection of levy from coal traders, transporters, railway contractors, and businessmen in Jharkhand, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, and Odisha, the probe agency said.

The PLFI members had also conspired to commit various terrorist activities, including murders, arson, and violent attacks, to create terror among the public, especially businessmen and contractors, the NIA said.

Earlier, in 2024, NIA had filed three charge sheets, including two supplementary charge sheets, against accused Nivesh Kumar alias Nivesh Poddar, Raman Kumar Sonu alias Sonu Pandit, Kapil Pathak, Binod Munda, Nilamber Gope alias Delga alias Dikal and Shiv Kumar Sahu alias Charku under various sections of IPC, Arms Act and UA(P) Act.

In a separate case, the NIA filed a second supplementary charge sheet against two operatives of the banned CPI (Maoist) terrorist organisation in connection with the brutal murder of BJP leader Ratan Dubey in Chhattisgarh last year, an official said on Friday.

In the chargesheet, Shivanand Nag and his father Narayan Prasad Nag are both accused of playing active roles in the criminal conspiracy that led to Dubey’s targeted killing.

The charge sheet was filed on Thursday before the NIA Special Court in Jagdalpur.

According to the probe agency, Shivanand Nag was a known operative of the CPI (Maoist) and harboured longstanding political, business, and personal rivalries with Dubey.

The investigation revealed that the murder was not only premeditated but strategically timed to disrupt the electoral process and instil fear among local residents.

--IANS

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