NIA files charge sheet against 6 in AK-47 smuggling case

The NIA has filed a charge sheet against six accused in a case related to alleged smuggling of AK-47 rifles from an ordnance depot in Madhya Pradesh to Naxals and criminals, officials said Wednesday.

The charge sheet was filed before a special court in Patna on Tuesday and the National Investigation Agency (NIA) probe relates to a disclosure of an alleged "nexus of arms smugglers in taking out AK-47 rifles, from the sheds of the Central Ordinance Depot (COD) at Jabalpur in Madhya Pradesh, during 2012-2018".

"These rifles were further smuggled across various parts of Bihar and supplied to different gangs and groups including Naxalites and criminals," an agency spokesperson said.

The agency said it had taken up the case, first registered by Bihar Police, after the latter recovered three assault rifles (AK-47) along with other weapons "on disclosure of accused Shamsher Alam from the house of his sister and accused Rizwana Begum" who is a resident Munger district of the state.

The charge sheet has been filed under sections of the Arms Act and the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA), the spokesperson said.