PLFI terror funding case: NIA, Jharkhand police seize huge cache of explosives, arms

New Delhi: The National Investigation Agency (NIA), in a joint operation with the Jharkhand Police, has seized a large amount of explosives, arms and ammunition from the state over the past two days in the PLFI terror funding case.

“Disclosures made by Dinesh Gope, who has been in the NIA custody for the last eight days, led to the seizures, made from Khunti, Gumla and Simdega districts of Jharkhand on Monday and Tuesday,” said the NIA.

Gope, who had been absconding before he was caught in New Delhi, had earlier too led the NIA to a huge cache of arms and ammunitions in a forest in Gumla district.

In the latest seizures, the NIA and Jharkhand Police on Monday recovered about 62.3 kg of gelatin and 732 rounds of 5.56 mm ammunition from Jhariatoli, Garai, PS Rania in Khunti district. The same day, one Pistol, 11 rounds of 5.56 mm ammunition and 30 rounds of .303 ammunition were seized from Kisni village in Kamdara area of Gumla district.

Subsequently, on Tuesday, two IEDs were also seized from the forest hill of Mahuatoli, PS Mahabuang in district Simdega.

“This was the third such seizure in less than a week. On May 26, a huge cache of ammunition (1245 rounds of 7.62 mm and 271 rounds of 5.56 mm) was seized as result of sustained investigations into the case,” said the official.

Dinesh Gope was earlier charge sheeted by the NIA in a case relating to the recovery of demonetised currency of Rs 25.38 lakhs from the operatives of People’s Liberation Front of India – a proscribed Naxal outfit of Jharkhand.

He had been absconding for years and was finally nabbed by the NIA on May 21.

The NIA had declared a Reward of Rs 5 lakhs for inputs leading to his arrest, in addition to the reward of Rs 25 lakh announced by the Jharkhand Government.

Gope used to extort money and execute attacks through his PLFI team members to terrorise and intimidate businessmen, contractors and the public at large, NIA investigations have shown. The accused, along with his associates, was involved in depositing the demonetised currency in a Bank account at a petrol pump, to be later collected through levy/extortion. The illegal money was then invested through banking channels and dubious Shell companies in the name of close associates and family members of the accused Dinesh Gope.

Known previously as Jharkhand Liberation Tigers (JLT), PLFI is responsible for hundreds of terror incidents in Jharkhand, Bihar and Odisha including several murders through use of weapons, as per the NIA investigations.

The outfit used to lure unemployed youth by providing them with motor bikes, mobile phones and easy money.

Also Read: NIA Detains Wanted Maoist Carrying Rs 30 Lakh Reward