Ravindra Kumar, a BJP member in Koderma, has been caught on the wrong side of law for his illicit connections with the leftwing extremists. Following completion of a probe into the cases related to supplying explosives to the outlawed, the Deputy Commissioner office of the district has initiated stern action against Ravindra Kumar and ordered to shut down his firm ‘Sarang Explosive’.
He is said to have had worked for State’s School Education Minister and Koderma legislator Neera Yadav during the last Assembly elections.
Ravindra Kumar, alias Raju Mehta, is the proprietor of ‘Sarang Explosive’ and said to be an active member of the BJP at Phulwaria of Domchanch in Koderma district. Several advertisements showing his proximity with the Minister have been published in local newspapers. He has been seen sharing dais with Neera Yadav during her public meetings.
‘Sarang Explosive’ is known in the area for running explosive magazine unit and was given no-objection certificate (NOC) for setting up the establishment at Pipradih of distirct over 1.47 acres of land.
The permission was issued by the DC office in 2012 under the Sections-102 and 103 of the Explosive Act, 2008. Based on the NOC, the firm was issued the challan for explosives by the Explosive Controller for eastern circle based at Kolkata subsequently.
However, as per a detailed report of the Koderma SP dated September 11, 2016, Sarang Explosive’s hand was found in a naxal incident having taken place three days before at Barachatti of Gaya district in neighbouring Bihar.
“The police have found involvement of ‘Sarang Explosive’ in making available the explosives used there in the case. The investigation was done under Section 120(B)/121/122 of the IPC and Section 4/5 of the Explosive Material Act apart from the Section-17 of the ClA Act,” said a senior police official.
The police also came to know that several other cases are registered against the firm for similar charges in Markachoo and Koderma police stations of Koderma and also at Pakuria of Pakur district between 2013 and 2014.
The SP’s report against ‘Sarang Explosive’ after the probe, alleges that the company makes available highly sensitive explosive materials to extremists and anti-social elements through illegal transportation.
The explosive magazines have been taken to the criminals by hiding those in passenger vehicles and trucks to different places of Jharkhand and Bihar in order to target the security personnel.
“The report also suggested that after getting caught, Ravindra Kumar would take people under influence for omitting the firm’s name from the cases filed. Allegations of supplying the dangerous explosives to naxals under a criminal conspiracy to harm security forces have also come into light. Based on the charges and investigation, the challan issued to Sarang Explosive has been cancelled. Also, it has been ordered that the magazine is shut down permanently,” said an official of Koderma DC office.
The administration had even issued a show-cause notice to Ravindra Kumar before passing the closure notice but reply to it stood unacceptable to the police. Reportedly, he had in his reply to the show-cause, said that the allegations are motivated and leveled out of business rivalry, thus untrue in nature.
Nevertheless no corroborative evidence in support of the inference drawn could be presented before the police by Ravindra Kumar.
The DC office has, at the same time, scrapped the NOC given to ‘Sarang Explosive’ with immediate effect.
When contacted, the Minister said that he has been a party worker and worked during elections for her in the area.