Patna Naxal case: NIA submits supplementary chargesheet against one

New Delhi: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has submitted a supplementary chargesheet against an accused in its ongoing investigation into a Naxal-related case in Bihar's Patna, an official said on Saturday.

The accused in question is Rupesh Kumar Singh, a.k.a Raman alias Patrakar.

A resident of village Sarauni near Bhagalpur in Bihar, Singh is facing charges under various sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967.

Specifically, he has been charged under sections 120B, 121A of the IPC, and sections 13, 18, 20, and 39 of the UA(P) Act, 1967.

In a statement issued on Saturday, the NIA said that this case pertains to the activities of levy collection by members and leaders of the CPI (Maoist), a proscribed terrorist organisation, as well as their recruitment of cadres to revive the Maoist movement in the region.

"The Supplementary chargesheet originates from a raid conducted by Rohtas Police at the residence of Umesh Chaudhary in the village of Samhuta in Bihar. This operation uncovered disturbing information about the presence of active members and leaders of the CPI (Maoist) in the area," it said.

"The primary objectives of these CPI (Maoist) leaders and members were levy collection, recruiting new cadres, and rejuvenating the CPI (Maoist) movement. Following the operation, a Central Committee Member of CPI (Maoist) named Vijay Kumar Arya, along with another cadre Umesh Chaudhary, were arrested," it said.

They were found in possession of Naxal-related pamphlets, levy receipts, and electronic devices containing incriminating data.

The case was initially registered on April 12, 2022, at the Rohtas police station and was later taken over by the NIA on April 26, 2022.

Previously, the NIA had filed a charge-sheet and supplementary chargesheet against four other accused. "The investigation revealed that Rupesh was not only an active cadre of the CPI (Maoist) but also held the prestigious rank of Special Area Committee member (SAC). Furthermore, he served as the Chief Editor of the 'Lal Chingari' Magazine, a publication by the CPI(Maoist), a banned terrorist organisation in India," the statement further read.

"He supplied digital copies of this magazine to senior commanders of the CPI (Maoist) across different states in the country. His role extended further; he played a vital part in motivating CPI (Maoist) cadres to gather support under the banner of CPI(Maoist) with the intention of waging war against the Government of India," it said.

The investigation also established that Rupesh attended meetings at the Chakarbandha CPI (Maoist) camp.

"During these gatherings, he conspired with senior cadres of CPI (Maoist) to advance their unlawful objectives, which included the collection of levy, recruitment of new members, and the procurement of arms, ammunition, and explosives, all with the explicit goal of strengthening the banned terrorist organisation CPI (Maoist)," the statement added.