Two Convicted in CPI (Maoist) Arms Supply Case; NIA Secures Rigorous Imprisonment

New Delhi: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) Special Court, Ranchi (Jharkhand), has sentenced two persons to rigorous imprisonment in a CPI (Maoist) arms and ammunition seizure case of 2012.

The accused, identified as Prafulla Malakar of Patna district and Anil Kumar Yadav of Gaya district of Bihar, have been convicted and sentenced to rigorous imprisonment (RI), with a maximum term of 15 years, along with fine for various offences.

Malakar has been sentenced to different jail terms and fines under Sections 121A, 414, 120(B) of IPC, Sections 10 (b)(ii), 20, 17, 18, 13 of the UA(P) Act, Section 25(1-AA)/35 & 26(2) of the Arms Act and section 17 of CLA Act. The court has similarly pronounced varying quantum of sentence against Yadav under Sections 121A, 386, 387, 120B of IPC, Sections 10 (b)(ii), 20, 18, 13 of the UA(P) Act, Section 25(1-AA)/35 of the Arms Act and Section 17 of CLA Act. The maximum of 15 years RI has been awarded to both the accused under Section 25(1-AA)/35 of Arms Act. All the sentences will run concurrently.

The case RC-08/2012/NIA/DLI relates to Hazaribagh, Jharkhand, where, based on inputs, the local police had searched and arrested Prafulla Kumar Malakar from Silodar Forest near Chauparan in August 2012. The police seized one USA made M-16 rifle, 14 live rounds, 02 mobile phones, and 01 bullet proof jacket from Malakar, a member of the Arms & Ammunition Supply Unit of the banned terror organisation, CPI (Maoist).

Further investigation led to the arrest of Yadav, a Zonal Commander of CPI (Maoist) who had come to collect/buy the weapons from Malakar. The police seized Rs. 9 lakh cash, 02 mobile phones, one 9 mm pistol and 02 live rounds from Yadav’s possession.

NIA, which took over the case from the local police on 17th December 2012, filed supplementary chargesheets against Malakar and Yadav, as well as absconding accused Mantu Sharma, between 2014 and 2017.