NIA arrests wanted accused in Muzaffarpur AK-47 rifle and ammunition smuggling case

According to the NIA, Manjoor Khan alias Babu Bhai was a close aide of prime accused Vikash Kumar, who was actively involved in smuggling of prohibited bore sophisticated weapons, including AK-47 rifles, from Nagaland to Bihar.

NIA investigations revealed that Manjoor had conspired with his co-accused to smuggle prohibited weapons with the intent to disrupt public peace and safety, thereby endangering national security.

NIA, which took over the case in August 2024, had uncovered the role of Manjoor in the conspiracy during the course of the investigation.

The case was originally registered by Fakuli police following the recovery of one AK-47 rifle with a lens and live ammunition at Murghatiya Bridge. The police had also arrested four accused persons and filed a chargesheet under the Arms Act against them.

After taking over the probe, NIA additionally filed the first supplementary chargesheet against the foursome - Vikash Kumar, Satyam Kumar, Devmani Rai, and Ahmad Ansari, under sections 120B of IPC and sections 13 & 18 of the UA(P) Act.

Investigation in the case is continuing.

Earlier on August 26, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) chargesheeted three associates of a CPI (Maoist) frontal organisation in a Chhattisgarh case related to collection, disbursal and the utilisation of Naxal terror funds.

The three accused, identified as Gajendra Madvi, Laxman Kunjam and Raghu Midyami, were office bearers of Moolwasi Bachao Manch (MBM) and had been banned by the state government u/s 3 (1) of the Chhattisgarh Special Public Security Act, 20. The accused had also been arrested for their involvement in the case.

The case pertains to the recovery of Rs 6 lakh from the two Over Ground workers (OGW), namely Madvi and Kunjam, who were going to deposit the amount in different bank accounts on the directions of leaders of the proscribed terrorist organisation.

The case was initially registered by the Bijapur Police in March 2023, after which NIA took over the probe in February 2024.Investigations by NIA revealed by Midyami was the president of MBM, and was involved in activities like the collection, storage and disbursal of illegal funds for the party and affliated frontal organisation MBM.

The allocated funds were utilised by CPI (Maoist) to further activities including staging of protests against the establishment of security camps in the hinterland.(ANI)