According to a statement issued by the NIA, all 11 accused have been charged under various sections of the UA(P) Act, BNSS, Arms Act and the Explosive Substances Act. During the investigation, the agency found the accused to be actively involved in the criminal conspiracy, planning and execution of the theft of around 200 explosive packets, each containing 20 kg of explosives.
The explosives were being transported to Maoist strongholds in the Saranda Forest in Jharkhand when local police intercepted the vehicle carrying the consignment from the Itma Explosive Station to the Banko stone quarry on May 27. The vehicle, along with its driver, was forcibly seized by 10-15 armed Maoists and taken towards a stronghold of the organisation in the nearby jungle.
The explosives, along with Maoist uniforms and other materials, were seized during a combing operation on the Gandhamardhan Hill range on the Balangir-Bargarh district boundary. The search was conducted jointly by the Special Operation Group (a security force raised to combat Left-wing extremists in Odisha), the CRPF, the Jharkhand Jaguars, and the District Voluntary Force.
The NIA, which took over the case from the local police in June, found that the huge quantity of explosives had been looted for use against the government machinery, including police and security forces, through the commission of terror acts. The agency stated that the loot was part of a larger conspiracy by CPI (Maoist) to destabilise national security.
The 11 chargesheeted accused have been identified as: Jarja Munda alias Kulu Munda; Anmol alias Sushant alias Lalchand Hembram; Ramesh alias Pritam Manjhi alias Anal Da; Pintu Lohra alias Tigar; Laljit alias Lalu; Shiva Bodra alias Shibu; Amit Munda alias Sukhlal Munda; Ravi alias Biren Singh; Rajesh alias Mansid; Sohan alias Ranga Punem; and Aptan alias Chandra Mohan Hansd.
The NIA said its investigation into the case is continuing.
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