Naxal funding: NIA raids lead to seizure of Singapore dollars and Indian currency worth Re 1 crore

Ranchi, Oct 10: In a bid to crackdown on funding for the naxalites, the National Investigation Agency conducted raids at 15 different locations. Raids were conducted at
Ranchi, Hazaribagh and Jamshedpur in Jharkhand and Durgapur in West Bengal.

The case on hand relates to a naxal funding case and during the raids cash to the tune of Rs 1 crore was recovered. Cash was recovered both in Indian and Singapore currency, NIA officials said.

An NIA statement read, "on 09.10.2018, NIA conducted searches at 15 locations in Jharkhand and West Bengal in connection with LWE Terror funding case. Fifteen teams of NIA assisted by Jharkhand police carried out searches at the residences and offices of managers of different companies associated with purchase and transport of coal in Amrapali and Magadh coalfields for their alleged role in providing funds to (banned) LWE organisation TPC (Tritiya Prastuti Committee)."

The material seized related to the payments made to the Amrapali and Magadh Area Committee of TPC. The NIA during the raids seized incriminating material, which included documents related to payments made to Amrapali and Magadh Area Committee of TPC, bank account details and fixed deposits, deduction of levy amount, computers, hard discs, mobiles containing accounts of companies, diaries containing entries of money paid to TPC and PLFI (Peoples Liberation Front of India), cash worth Rs 68 lacs besides 10,000 Singapore dollars and $1300 along with Rs 86,000 demonetised currency notes.

The case was first registered by the Jharkhand police on January 11 2016. The police accused the naxalites of indulging in extortion, collection of levy and money laundering in the states of Jharkhand and Bihar.

After the NIA took over the probe, it found that the naxalites were collecting money from small business houses, contractors and traders who would undertake government related work such as laying of roads, railway tracks etc. Further it was also found that money had been sought from coal and steel producers as well. The naxalites would also threaten villagers into parting with ration and other daily needs.