NEW DELHI: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) today said it has attached assets worth Rs 68 lakh of two senior Maoist leaders in Bihar in connection with a money-laundering probe against them.
This is second such action against the top Naxal leadership after the central probe agency last month attached properties worth Rs 86 lakh of a Jharkhand-based ultra 'commander' Sandeep Yadav.
The latest action is against Bihar-based brothers Pradumn Sharma and Pramod Sharma and the ED took cognisance of 67 FIRs and charge sheets filed against them by the the state police to file its criminal case under the clauses of Prevention of Money Laundering Act.
"They have been charged under various sections of the IPC, Arms Act, Explosive Substances Act and Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act for collection of levy, criminal conspiracy, murder, attempt to murder, extortion among others and invested the proceeds of crime in various movable and immovable assets," the ED said in a statement.
Pradumn has several aliases like Kundan Ji, Lulha, Saket, Anish Ji and is the in-charge of the the magadh zone special area committee of the Bihar-Jharkhand of Naxalites.
Pramod, having aliases like Prabhakar Ji and Pramod Singh, is the secretary of Banawar sub-area zonal committee of the CPI (Maoist), the ED said.
During probe, the agency said, it was found that proceeds of crime have been "utilised" by Pradumn and Pramod to make huge expenses towards admission of daughter (Pramod's) in a medical college and coaching of son and daughter at coaching institutes in Kota and Patna.
It said the agency has "gathered that several contractors are collecting levy and laundering on behalf of Pradumn Sharma".
These contractors are now being investigated by the ED.
The assets attached under the latest action are valued at Rs 67,16,134 and they include various plots, a house and bank balances, it said.
The ED has begun initiating action against the Naxal leadership under the anti-money laundering law as part of a coordinated offensive against Maoists along with security forces, police and the National Investigation Agency (NIA).