NIA files supplementary charge-sheet in Purnia arms case

The NIA on Wednesday filed a supplementary charge sheet against one of the prime members of an illegal weapons trafficking network for his alleged involvement in supplying arms and ammunition to Naxals in Jharkhand, an official said.

Santosh Kumar of Ara district in Bihar has been charged under relevant provisions of the IPC, Arms Act and Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act in the charge sheet filed before a special NIA court in Patna, the official of the premier investigation agency said.

Santosh, one of the prime members of the weapons trafficking network that supplied arms and ammunition to Naxals in Jharkhand, had extensively used banking and hawala channels for transfer of funds for the procurement of weapons and such transactions worth more than Rs 2.2 crore have been identified, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) official said.

The case pertains to interdiction of highly sophisticated weapons and ammunition on February 7 last year by Bihar Police, including Under Barrel Grenade Launchers (UBGL), AK series rifle and large number of 5.56 x 45 mm ammunition from Suraj Prasad, Varengnow Kahorngam and Clearson Kabo who were travelling in an SUV in Purnia, it said.

A large number of illegal sophisticated weapons and ammunition were supplied by Ningkhan Sangtam, a self-styled major of Naga insurgent group NSCN(IM), through illegal arms dealers of Bihar to Bhikhan Ganjhu, a Zonal Commander of banned Tritiya Prastuti Committee (TPC), a Naxal terrorist gang proscribed by the Jharkhand government, it said.

Two charge sheets were filed against six accused - Prasad, Kahorngam, Kabo, Tripurari Singh, Mukesh Singh and Ningkhan Sangtam - on August 3 and November 22 last year, the probe agency said.

Further investigation against the co-conspirators and other suspects including Ganju, who is absconding, continues, the NIA added.