The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on December 15 arrested two persons and seized from them an Army uniform, along with arms, ammunition, digital devices, cash and jewellery, during raids across four States in connection with a People’s Liberation Front of India (PLFI) extortion and levy collection case.
The searches were carried out at 23 locations, including 19 in Jharkhand’s Gumla, Ranchi, Khunti, Simdega, Palamu, and West Singhbhum districts; one each in Bihar’s Patna and the Siddhi district of Madhya Pradesh; and and two locations in Delhi. Premises of those linked to the Jharkhand-based banned outfit, PLFI, were covered.
The arrested persons were identified as Raman Kumar Sonu from Bihar and Nivesh Kumar, a resident of South-West Delhi. Both the accused are named in the First Information Report registered by the NIA alleging extortion or levy collection by the PLFI leaders, cadre and sympathisers in various States.
“During the searches, two pistols, live rounds (7.86 mm), ₹3 lakh in cash, incriminating materials, including digital devices (mobile phones, SIM cards, Pen drives, DVR) and documents (diary and a bunch of papers), as well as gold and silver jewellery were seized, in addition to the Indian Army uniform,” said the agency.
The NIA had registered the case suo motu on October 11. The agency found that the outfit’s cadre was involved in generating funds through extortion from various coal traders, transporters, railway contractors, and businessmen operating in Jharkhand, Bihar, Chhattisgarh and Odisha. “They were also conspiring to commit various terrorist activities, including attacks on the security forces, murder, arson, and use of explosives/Improvised Explosive Devices to create terror in the society,” it said.
According to the agency, the PLFI operatives were also involved in making new recruitment and procurement of arms and ammunition. They were allegedly conspiring to revive and expand the organisation in Jharkhand, Bihar, Chhattisgarh and other PLFI-affected States.
