NIA files charge sheet in PLFI terror funding case

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has filed a charge sheet against eleven accused in a case pertaining to funding the People's Liberation Front of India (PLFI), Jharkhand's Naxal organisation.

The investigating agency filed the charge sheet on Monday under various sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) for offences such as criminal conspiracy, extortion, cheating by personation and using as genuine a forged and Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act.

These accused have been charged for raising funds through extortion and investing it into the banking channels and dubious shell companies in the name of close associates and family members of Dinesh Gope, the absconding supremo of the organisation.

The case was registered by the Jharkhand Police in 2016 after the recovery of demonetized currency worth Rs 25 lakh from the operatives of PLFI, which was deposited into the bank account of a petrol pump owned by one of the accused persons.

Following this, the first charge sheet was filed by the police against four arrested accused in January 2017.

Pursuant to this, in 2018, the NIA re-registered the case and during investigation established that the accused were actively involved in the criminal conspiracy of raising terror funds for the PLFI.

"It was also found that the accused were part of a criminal conspiracy relating to channelizing of the extorted levy amount collected from the contractors and businessmen engaged in the developmental projects in Jharkhand and investing these funds into dubious shell companies formed with the partnership of PLFI associates and family members of Gope," said the NIA in a statement.

The extorted money was transferred from Jharkhand to other places through a network of 'hawala' operators.

Investigation revealed that transactions worth Rs 2.5 crore in two dozen bank accounts in the name of shell companies as well as in the name of individual family members of Gope.

"The searches conducted by the NIA during an investigation at various locations in the state of Jharkhand, West Bengal and New Delhi leading to the recovery of huge cash of Rs 42 lakh, laptops, mobile phones and incriminating documents relating to extortion and investment in properties," it stated.

Movable and immovable properties worth Rs 70 lakh were also seized.

"Further investigation and efforts are on to arrest the absconding accused Dinesh Gope, who has also been declared as a proclaimed offender," said the statement.