NIA attaches properties of Maoist Ravinder Ganjhu in Jharkhand

New Delhi, November 2

In a significant development, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) has attached an Immovable property, a house, belonging to the absconding accused and top Maoist, Ravinder Ganjhu. 

The case pertains to the arrest of the leaders and cadres of proscribed terrorist organisation CPI (Maoist) and seizure of arms and ammunition. During this operation, a gathering of CPI (Maoist) members, including the Regional Commander Ravinder Ganjhu, was detected in the forest area of Bulbul. 

It was revealed that this assembly of Maoist leaders and cadres, consisting of individuals, such as Balram Oraon, Muneshwar Ganjhu, Balak Ganjhu, Dinesh Nagesia, Aghnu Ganjhu, Lajim Ansari, Markush Nagesia, Sanjay Nagesia, Sheela Kherwar, Lalita Devi, and an estimated 45-60 additional cadres, had congregated with the intentions of carrying out incidents against security forces operating in the area, including the Bauxite Mines Area.

Accordingly, a joint operation by the local police and CRPF was conducted and during the search, active cadres of CPI (Maoist) had fired indiscriminately upon the security forces enroute Bahabar forest, at Harkatta Toli and Banglapat.  Following the encounter, an extensive search of the area surrounding the incident site led to the discovery of a big cache of arms, ammunition, explosives, and other related items.

The NIA's investigations in this case established that a house in Latehar, Jharkhand, had been illicitly constructed by the accused Ravinder Ganjhu. This house was built with the active involvement of his close associate and co-accused, Raju Kumar. Ravinder Ganjhu invested funds in the construction of this property, which were obtained through extortion and levy collection from local contractors and businessmen. The house has been attached by the NIA under the provisions of Section 25(1) of UA(P) Act, 1967. 

Ganjhu, son of Late Ramavart Ganjhu, and a resident of Vill-Hesla Banjhitoli, PS-Chandwa, Dist-Latehar, Jharkhand, is a prominent Maoist leader and Regional Committee Member of the proscribed terrorist organisation, CPI (Maoist). He was involved in several terrorist acts committed by the cadres of CPI (Maoist) and his extensive criminal involvement had led to the registration of more than 55 cases against him across various Police Stations in Jharkhand.

The Jharkhand Government and the National Investigation Agency (NIA) have declared big rewards for his apprehension. A reward of 15 lakhs was announced by the Jharkhand Government, while the NIA has declared an additional reward of 5 lakh rupees.