New Delhi, 2nd May 2023: In a major crackdown on overground workers, supporters and associates of CPI (Maoist), the National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Tuesday conducted searches at 14 locations across Jharkhand and Bihar in a conspiracy to expand, revive and propagate the ideology of the banned terrorist organisation.

The searches at eight locations in Jharkhand covered the Ranchi office of Visthapan Virodhi Jan Vikash Andolan ( VVJVA) and the houses of the associates and supporters etc of CPI(Maoist) in Bokaro, Dhanbad, Ramgarh and Giridih districts. In Bihar, the searches were conducted at six locations in Khagaria, Gaya and Aurangabad districts. All the suspects whose houses were searched have links with Politburo/ Central Committee members of CPI(Maoist).

Incriminating documents relating to the activities of the banned outfit, along with several mobile phones, DVD discs, documents related to Majdoor Sangathan Samiti ( MSS ) and VVJVA, as well as bank account details, were seized during the searches.

The case related to FIR no. RC 01/2022/NIA/RNC, dated 25.04.2022, was registered under Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967 and various sections of the IPC against the Politburo/ Central Committee members of CPI(Maoist), for hatching a conspiracy to spread the organisation’s ideology in these two States, as well as other Indian States, including Chhattisgarh. These members had also been liaising with their incarcerated CPI(Maoist) cadres and overground workers to further their objectives.

Those named in the said FIR were Misir Besra, Vivek, Anal Da, Pramod Mishra, Nambala Keshava Rao, Muppal Laxamna Rao, Mallojula Venugopal, Katakam Sudershan, Gajrala Ravi, Modem Balakrishnan, Sabyasachi Goswamy and Prashant Bose & others.

Further investigations to unravel the hidden links in the conspiracy are ongoing.