Kolkata/Ranchi, Feb 22 (IANS): The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Thursday carried out raids at 10 places in many cities of West Bengal and Jharkhand in connection with probe into the Left wing extremist (LWE) terror funding case, officials said.

"The agency carried out raids at 10 locations in Ranchi, Gumla and Khunti and Kolkata in the People's Liberation Front of India (PLFI) terror funding case," a senior NIA official said.

The raids were carried out at residences and offices of close associates and offices of companies associated with PLFI Chief Dinesh Gope. The case relates to depositing extorted levies by rthe PLFI supremo through his associates, namely Vinod Kumar, Yamuna Prasad, Chandra Sekhar Kumar, Nand Kishore and Mohan Kumar, who had been arrested.

According to NIA officials, Gope is absconding.

Documents, digital exhibits pertaining to payments or investment by the PLFI chief or cadres in various firms and immovable properties were seized during the raid.

The NIA also seized 40 mobile phones, fake PAN cards, fake identity cards, details of bank accounts,fixed deposits and Rs 3.41 lakh cash.

It also recovered documents showing payments made to the various shell companies, other digital devices containing incriminating information and diaries containing entries of investments.

The NIA is questioning the people whose residences and offices were searched.