NEW DELHI: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has chargesheeted five accused, including four absconders, in a 2024 Chhattisgarh case involving the alleged supply of explosives to the banned CPI (Maoist), the agency said on Tuesday.
The accused include arrested Manish Sodhi and absconders Sodhi Kesa, Manila, Madkam Kesa and Sodhi Lakhma, all residents of Sukma district in Chhattisgarh.
They face charges under the Indian Penal Code, the Explosive Substances Act and the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act. “They supplied materials for IEDs targeting security forces,” an agency official said.
Manish Sodhi was arrested by the NIA in July this year. With the filing of the latest chargesheet, the agency has so far chargesheeted seven persons in the case.
In its supplementary chargesheet filed before the NIA Special Court at Jagdalpur, the anti terror agency has named all five accused for their active involvement in the alleged procurement of explosives and other incriminating items for the proscribed outfit.
The accused were found to be in unlawful possession of incriminating materials intended to be used by members of CPI (Maoist) PLGA Battalion No. 01 and cadres active in the Jagargunda area of Sukma district.
The case was originally registered by the state police following the arrest of two accused, Mantosh Mandal and S. Nagarjun, on September 25, 2024.
Based on their interrogation, the police had seized explosive materials, including tiffin bombs, detonators, potassium nitrate and aluminium metal powder, along with other incriminating material such as packaging wrappers, Naxal literature and mobile phones.
Further investigation led to the establishment of an alleged trail of terror funds and a supply chain linking the seized materials. The NIA took over the case from the local police in December 2024 and is continuing its investigation.
Agency sleuths said there is a larger conspiracy behind the case and they are probing the alleged main source of arms and ammunition supplied to the Maoists.