NIA raids 7 locations in Jharkhand, Bihar in 2018 murder case involving CPI(Maoist)

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has conducted searches at seven locations in Jharkhand and Bihar in connection with a brutal murder by cadres of the CPI (Maoist), a banned terrorist organisation, about five years ago, an official said Thursday.

The victim, Naresh Singh Bhokta, was abducted and killed on the night of November 2, 2018, after being labelled as a police informer by the top leadership and Naxal cadres of CPI (Maoist) at a so-called ‘Jan Adalat’ (public hearing) convened by the banned terrorist outfit.

His body was found near Badhai Bigha village in Madanpur police station area in Aurangabad district, Bihar.

An NIA spokesperson said raids were conducted on the premises of the accused and suspects in Gaya and Aurangabad districts in Bihar, and Palamu district of Jharkhand in connection with the murder case registered by the federal agency last year.

”The searches were conducted on the residential premises of five arrested commanders and two suspected OGWs/supporters of the CPI (Maoist). The searches led to the seizure of various digital devices, viz. mobile phones, SIM cards, along with incriminating documents,” the official said.

The NIA had taken over the case from the Bihar Police on June 24 last year and a total of nine people have been arrested in the case so far.

In February, the NIA had filed a supplementary chargesheet against one accused, Ajay Singh Bhokta, under various sections of Indian Panel Code, Arms Act and Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act in the case.

In the course of its investigations, the NIA had discovered the involvement of top CPI (Maoist) commanders in the murder conspiracy, and had also recovered the weapons and vehicles used in the killing, the spokesperson said.