The National Investigation Agency (NIA) sleuths on Thursday conducted raids in at least 10 locations across Ranchi, Gumla and Khunti districts of Jharkhand in connection with Peoples Liberation Front of India (PLFI) terror funding case and arrested four persons for allegedly funding the Left Wing Extremist (LWE) outfit, an official release from the investigating agency said.
The residences and offices of close associates of PLFI Chief Dinesh Gope in Ranchi, Gumla, Khunti and Kolkata were searched for their alleged role in financing the banned rebel outfit.
Gope’s aides -Vinod Kumar, Yamuna Prasad, Chandra Sekhar Kumar, Nand Kishore and Mohan Kumar- were arrested during the raids. They are currently being interrogated by the investigating agency.The NIA also recovered fake PAN cards, identity cards, bank account details, 40 mobile phones, diaries containing entries of investment and documents showing payments made to shell companies, release added. Besides, around Rs 3.41 Lakh cash was also recovered during the raids.
In Ranchi, raids were conducted at official and residential properties in Doranda and Ashok Vihar localities. The NIA team raided the residence of one Vicky Ansari and detained him on reported charges of terror funding, sources said. Vicky is son of one Musa Ansari, who too was allegedly involved in terror funding activities.
The team also raided two offices of one Sudhanshu Singh in Ashok Vihar. Singh is said to have connection with terror funding activities. He is currently serving jail, sources said.
The raids were conducted in his offices at D/15 and D/50 at posh Ashok Nagar locality, sources said. The NIA team along with the local police started their operation at around 4 am on Thursday.
PLFI, one of these splinter outfits, was formed by Gope, an ex army man, in 2003.
The NIA has already seized moveable and immovable properties worth Rs 7.23 crore belonging to TPC operatives this month. The properties were attached during investigation of case RC-06/2018/NIA/DLI against members of TPC. On December 21, the NIA filed a charge sheet against 16 TPC members in the court of NIA Special Judge.
The attached properties belong to Binod Kumar Ganjhu, Bindeshwar Ganjhu, Pradeep Ram and TPC’s Regional Commander Akraman.
The attached properties include two plots of land and a double storey house belonging to TPC operative Binod Kumar Ganjhu, worth approximately Rs 90 lakhs. One JCB loader, one Scorpio SUV and two motorcycle worth of Rs 31 lakh was also seized from Ganjhu’s possession.
Besides, at least 10 vehicles belonging to TPC operative Bindeshwar Ganjhu including one JCB loader and 10 trucks worth Rs 1.61 Crores were also seized.