New Delhi, Jan 17 (IANS): The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has filed a supplementary chargesheet in connection with the recovery of an AK-47 from cadres of the CPI (Maoist) in Bairiyakala village, under Laukariya Police Station, Bagha.
The chargesheet was submitted before the NIA Special Court in Patna, naming Pramod Mishra, a top leader of the CPI (Maoist), also known by aliases Sohan Da, Madan Da, Bibi Je, and Baba.
Mishra has been charged under various sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), including 120B (criminal conspiracy) and 121A (waging war against the nation), as well as multiple provisions of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UA(P)A), 1967, including sections 16, 17, 18, 20, 38, 39, and 40.
The NIA took over the investigation from the Laukariya Police Station, Bagha, on June 23, 2023.
Earlier, in October 2023, the agency had chargesheeted two individuals, Ram Babu Ram (alias Rajan) and Ram Babu Paswan (alias Dhiraj), in the case.
Further investigation revealed that Mishra, a prominent figure within the banned CPI (Maoist) organisation, was involved in spreading the group’s ideology and facilitating the procurement of arms and ammunition for the outfit.
Under his direction, the previously chargesheeted individuals, Ram Babu Ram and Ram Babu Paswan, were raising funds for the CPI (Maoist) to carry out anti-national activities.
Mishra was also responsible for encouraging former Maoists to rejoin the Maoist group and was actively involved in orchestrating activities aimed at terrorising the general public and undermining the unity, integrity, security, and sovereignty of India.
The investigation is ongoing to identify further linkages and details related to the case.
The NIA is India's specialised counter-terrorism law enforcement agency which is empowered to deal with the investigation into terror-related crimes across states.
It is empowered to investigate cases that involve threats to the country's sovereignty, security, and integrity.
The agency is also authorised to conduct searches, make seizures and arrests, and also collect evidence and maintain a database of terrorist organisations and their members.
It came into existence with the enactment of the National Investigation Agency Act 2008 by Parliament on December 31, 2008. The Act was passed after the 26/11 terror attacks that had left Mumbai -- the country's financial capital -- in tatters.
The NIA has its headquarters in Delhi, and it also has branches across many Indian cities, such as Hyderabad, Guwahati, Kochi, Lucknow, Mumbai, Kolkata, Raipur, Jammu, Chandigarh, Ranchi, Chennai and Imphal.