MHA reveals top Naxal leaders diverting funds for personal use

The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has revealed that top Maoist leaders are diverting funds collected from dubious activities for their personal use like getting their kin admitted in private educational institutions.

In a document titled 'Measures Initiated To Choke Finances Of Left Wing Extremism (LWE)', the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has disclosed the network of dubious activities undertaken by Maoist leaders to finance the movement and their luxuries, all while their junior cadres conflict with security forces almost on an everyday basis.

"These activities include levy from private contractors including those involved in the execution of Government works and schemes, mining contractors, transporters and owners of small and medium industries. Similarly, funds are generated through collections from illegal activities such as mining in non-specified areas, illegal stone crushing and collection of 'tendu patta'," the statement from the MHA affirmed.

"A large part of the money collected is also diverted towards the personal wealth of its leaders whose children avail best of education and families live in comfort while the misled cadres toil away in the jungles in the name of a twisted ideology," it added.

According to the MHA, Pradyuman Sharma, a member of Bihar Jharkhand Special Area Committee (BJSAC) paid Rs 22 lakhs for the admission of his niece in a private medical college, while Sandeep Yadav, another BJSAC member gave Rs 15 lakhs for exchange during the demonetization drive by the Government.

It also revealed that Yadav's daughter studied in a reputed private institute and son is studying in reputed private Engineering college. Another senior leader, Arvind Yadav paid Rs 12 lakhs towards his brother's admission in a private engineering college.

The MHA has also drafted a list of measures to choke the finances of the movement, while also aiming to confiscate the assets of the leaders of the LWE, which include, setting up of Multi-Disciplinary Groups comprising officers from Central Agencies and the State Police, while also introducing a separate vertical in the National Investigation Agency for investigating important cases pertaining to LWE.

The Enforcement Directorate has also registered various cases under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) against the leaders as well as attached their properties including land, buildings cars, etc, in order to choke the flow of funds that fuel the LWE insurgency.