Over 153 Bank Accounts/ STDR/ Mutual Fund Accounts attached, which is over 20 crore rupees today is the largest amount to be attached by the NIA in Left-Wing Extremism cases

New Delhi, March 4

Striking a major blow to the funding of Left-Wing Extremism, NIA has attached 152 bank accounts (including 124 STDRs) and one SBI Mutual Fund account containing a total of Rs. 20,65,20,496/- belonging to a firm, M/s Santosh Construction, and its different partners, under section 25(1) of the UA (P) Act. These accounts had earlier been frozen under the provisions of the Cr.P.C. but have been found to be ‘proceeds of terrorism’ during investigations warranting their ‘attachment’ under UA (P) Act. 

The investigations by the NIA had revealed that the accused Mrityunjay Kumar Singh @ Sonu Singh, one of the partners of M/s Santosh Construction, had a close nexus with top CPI (Maoist) cadres. He had provided cash funds to Maoist cadre Ravindra Ganjhu, a Regional Committee Member of CPI (Maoist) for furtherance of Maoist activities. 

These facts have come to light during the investigation of case pertaining to attack on PCR vehicle of Chandwa police station, killing of four Police personnel and looting their arms, ammunition etc. In November 20019 at Lukaiya More, under Chandwa PS limits, District Latehar, Jharkhand by the armed cadres of CPI (Maoist), led by Ganjhu. 

A day before this incident, at Beerjangha forest, Mrityunjay Kumar Singh met Ravindra Ganjhu and gave him Rs. 2 lakhs, which was used for preparation and execution of the above-mentioned attack. NIA had taken over the investigation of this case in June 2020. And in October 2020, NIA had seized over Rs 2.5 lakhs from his house, which were also found to be ‘proceeds of terrorism’ and therefore attached in April 2022.  

The NIA's investigations have shown that Mrityunjay Kumar Singh alias Sonu Singh continued to fund the CPI (Maoist) and their activities, even after the Lukaiya More incident. He gave Rs. 5 lakhs to couriers of Ravindra Ganjhu namely Baijnath Ganjhu, Rajesh Ganjhu and Kunwar Ganjhu in January 2020. The couriers were intercepted with this money and a case was registered at Chandwa PS. Investigation of this case has been transferred to NIA as well. 

During investigations, the said bank accounts had been frozen by the NIA between February 2021 and February 2023. Digging into their deep pockets, M/s Santosh Construction initially moved the Hon’ble High Court, Ranchi, Jharkhand by way of a Writ Petition for unfreezing the 6 major bank accounts, which was dismissed in August 2022 and they also filed an SLP before the Hon’ble Supreme Court of India, which was also dismissed on 03.01.2023. 

The attachment of over 20 crore rupees is the largest amount to be attached by the NIA in Left-Wing Extremism cases.