NIA Chargesheets Vinod Mishra in Naxal Revival Case

The National Investigation Agency has chargesheeted Vinod Mishra, a key Naxal leader, for his involvement in the Magadh Zone revival case. Mishra, an associate of prominent Naxal leader Pramod Mishra, was arrested in March 2024 for aiding Naxal activities aiming to disrupt India's sovereignty.

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has filed a chargesheet against Vinod Mishra, a prominent leader of the banned Naxal outfit, in connection with the Magadh Zone revival case, the agency announced on Saturday. Mishra, also known as Binod Kumar Mishra, is a close aide of Polit Bureau Member and North Regional Bureau Chief Pramod Mishra, who carries multiple aliases including Sohan Da, Banwari Ji, BB Ji, and Baba.

The chargesheet includes various sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act. According to the NIA's findings, Vinod Mishra provided shelter and logistical support to Naxal leaders and cadres, facilitating meetings at his residence to further their destabilizing activities. This was part of a broader effort to revive and strengthen the banned organization in the Magadh Zone, covering the Gaya and Aurangabad areas of Bihar.

The case, registered as RC-26/2023/NIA, stemmed from the arrest of two top Naxal leaders on August 10, 2023. Authorities seized various Naxal literature, handwritten letters, and seven memory cards containing photographs and correspondence related to Naxal activities. The NIA took over the investigation in October, filing cases against three individuals, including Pramod Mishra, Anil Yadav, and Vinod Mishra. In February 2024, chargesheets were filed against Pramod Mishra and Anil Yadav, with Vinod Mishra being apprehended on March 20, 2024, in Dhanbad, Jharkhand.

The NIA stated that the suspects were engaged in spreading the CPI (Maoist)'s anti-India ideology, recruiting new members, and collecting levies to revive the organization in the Magadh Zone. Their activities aimed at disrupting the sovereignty and territorial integrity of India.

(With inputs from agencies.)