NIA arrests one with Maoists links, seizes weapons, cash in raids across Telugu States in Munchingputu conspiracy case

NEW DELHI: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Monday arrested one person and seized weapons, cash and incriminating material in raids across Andhra Pradesh and Telangana in the Munchingputu CPI (Maoist) conspiracy case.

Multiple raids were carried out across 62 locations in the two States, leading to the arrest of one Chandra Narasimhulu, a State executive committee member of the Pragathiseela Karmika Samakya (PKS), from Satya Sai district of Andhra Pradesh. A pistol, along with 14 rounds, was seized from the location. An amount of Rs 13 lakhs was seized from one of the premises in Kadapa District, while Maoist literature and documents were seized from other locations.

Monday’s raids covered 53 locations in the districts of Guntur, Palanadu, Vijayawada, Rajhmundry, Prakasam, Bapatla, Eluru, East Godavari, D R Ambedkar Konasema, Visakhapatnam, Vizianagaram, Nellore, Tirupati, Kadapa Satya Sai Anantapur, and Kurnool in Andhra Pradesh. Nine locations were raided in Telengana in the districts of Hyderabad, Mahabubnagar, Hanumakonda, Ranga Reddy and Adilabad.

The arrested accused’s custodial interrogation is expected to yield further information about the conspiracy relating to the attempts of various frontal organisations to further the activities of the proscribed CPI (Maoist) outfit.

The frontal organisations include Civil Liberties Committee (CLC), Amarula Bandhu Mitrula Sangham (ABMS), Chaitanya Mahila Sangham (CMS), Kula Nirmulana Porata Samathi (KNPS), Patriotic Democratic Movement (PDM), Pragathiseela Karmika Samakya (PKS), Praja Kala Mandali (PKM), Revolutionary Writers Association (RWA) or ViplavaRachaitalaSangam (VIRASAM), Human Rights Forum (HRF), Committee for the Release of Political Prisoners (CRPP) and Indian Association of Peoples Lawyers (IAPL).

NIA investigations so far have revealed that leaders and members of these frontal organisations were extending support to the CPI (Maoist), which was banned as a terrorist outfit in 2009. The premises raided on Monday belonged to members and cadres of the frontal organisations.

The case was initially registered by the Munchingputu Police of the erstwhile Visakhapatnam Districts (Now ASR District) on 23rd November 2020, based on information relating to the movement of Maoists and transportation of Maoist literature in the Munchingput area.

The police had intercepted one Pangi Naganna, while he was carrying Maoist revolutionary literature books, medicines, red banner cloth, electrical wire bundles, batteries and pamphlets to hand over to the Maoist cadres. Detailed interrogation of Pangi Naganna revealed that the items were handed over to him by the leaders of the frontal organisations.

On May 21, 2021, the NIA filed a chargesheet against seven accused before the Special Court, in Vijayawada. Of these seven persons, five belonged to frontal organisations, namely ABMS, CMS, PKS, PDM and PKM.