Security forces and police in Bihar, Jharkhand and Bihar have seized money and property of Maoists
Security forces are continuing with their onslaught against Maoists and have seized more than Rs 1.43 crore cash, 20 acres of land, several buildings in Bihar and Jharkhand and two flats in Kolkata bought by Maoist leaders through their ill-gotten money, officials said on Tuesday.
This seizure under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act was in addition to that by the Enforcement Directorate of cash and other properties of two prominent leaders of the CPI (Maoists) of Bihar and Jharkhand.
As much as Rs 1.43 crore in cash, 20 acres of land, several buildings, cars, SUVs, excavators, bus and tractors were seized under the UAPA from Maoist leaders in Bihar and Jharkhand in recent times, a Home Ministry official said.
Security forces also seized two flats purchased in Kolkata by a Maoist leader from neighbouring Bihar.
The confiscated money include Rs 27.5 lakh cash, which was seized from Prabhawati, wife of late Maoist leader Arvindji, in Jehanabad in Bihar and Rs 25.15 lakh, seized from Rohit, the son of Maoist leader Nandu Yadav in Latehar in Jharkhand.
Of the seized properties, which were bought with extortion money, include 7 acres of land bought by Maoist leader Yamuna Mistri in Aurangabad, two acres of land purchased by Naxal leader Arjun Singh in Jehanabad, 2.2 acres of land bought by Sunil Singh in Aurangabad (Bihar) and two flats purchased by another Maoist, Santosh Jhar, of Sheohar (Bihar) in Kolkata, an official said.
The seized vehicles include a Bolero SUV, a Maruti Swift car, a tractor, a Commander jeep, a Scorpio SUV, a JCB excavator and a Swift Dzire car.
Yesterday, an official said, that Pradyuman Sharma, member of Bihar-Jharkhand special area committee of the CPI (Maoists), paid Rs 22 lakh towards fees for admission of his niece in a private medical college last year.
Another member of the CPI (Maoists), Sandeep Yadav, gave Rs 15 lakh for exchange during the demonetisation.
Sandeep Yadav's daughter studied in a reputed private institute and his son is studying in a private engineering college, another official said.
Another senior Maoist Arvind Yadav paid Rs 12 lakh towards fees for his brother to study in a private engineering college.
The Home Ministry has already set up a multi-disciplinary group to initiate action to choke funding sources of Maoists and to seize assets of their leaders.
The ministry has also initiated the process for creating a separate vertical in the NIA (National Intelligence Agency) for investigating important cases pertaining to the left-wing extremism.