New Delhi [India], May 31 : The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has seized a large cache of ammunition from Naxal hideouts in Jharkhand following disclosures made by the recently arrested Dinesh Gope (40) in the People's Liberation Front of India (PLFI) terror funding case, officials said on Wednesday.
According to officials, Gope, who was arrested in New Delhi on May 21 and is currently in NIA custody, revealed the hideouts which lead to the seizures, made from the Khunti, Gumla and Simdega districts of Jharkhand on Monday and Tuesday.
"62.3 kg of Gelatin and 732 rounds of 5.56 mm ammunition, one Pistol, 11 rounds of 5.56 mm ammunition,and 30 rounds of .303 ammunition were recovered on Monday. While two IEDs were recovered on Tuesday," the NIA said in an official statement.
The seizure was made in searches conducted with the help of Jharkhand police, officials said.
According to the officials, this was the third such seizure in less than a week. On May 26, a massive cache of ammunition of 1245 rounds of 7.62 mm and 271 rounds of 5.56 mm was seized as a result of sustained investigations into the case following Gope's arrest.
Dinesh Gope a native of Khunti in Jharkhand was earlier charge sheeted by NIA in a case relating to the recovery of demonetized currency of Rs. 25.38 lakhs from the operatives of PLFI (People's Liberation Front of India - a proscribed Naxal outfit of Jharkhand.
He had been absconding and was finally nabbed by the NIA on 21st May and sent to NIA custody by NIA Special Court on 22nd May.
NIA had also declared a Reward of Rs 5 lakhs for inputs leading to the capture of Dinesh, in addition to the reward of Rs. 25 lakhs announced by the Jharkhand Government as well.
Gope used to extort money and execute attacks through his PLFI team members to terrorize and intimidate businessmen, contractors and the public at large, NIA investigations revealed.
The accused, along with his associates, was involved in depositing the demonetized currency in a Bank account at a Petrol pump, to be later collected through levy and 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, read the official statement.
Known previously as Jharkhand Liberation Tigers (JLT), PLFI is responsible for hundreds of terror incidents in Jharkhand, Bihar and Odisha including several murders using weapons, as per the NIA investigations. The outfit used to lure unemployed youth by providing them with motorbikes, mobile phones and easy money.