Two Sentenced to Rigorous Imprisonment in 2012 Jharkhand CPI (Maoist) Arms Seizure Case

New Delhi, Dec 21 (NationPress) A Special Court of the National Investigation Agency (NIA) in Ranchi has sentenced two individuals to rigorous imprisonment due to their involvement in a CPI (Maoist) arms and ammunition seizure case from 2012, as stated by an official on Saturday.
The individuals, identified as Prafulla Malakar from Patna district in Bihar and Anil Kumar Yadav from Gaya district in Jharkhand, have been convicted and sentenced to rigorous imprisonment (RI) for a maximum term of 15 years, along with fines for various offences.
Malakar has received different jail terms and fines under Sections 121A, 414, 120(B) of IPC, Sections 10 (b)(ii), 20, 17, 18, 13 of the UA(P) Act, Section 25(1-AA)/35 & 26(2) of the Arms Act and section 17 of CLA Act.
Similarly, the court has issued varying sentences against Yadav under Sections 121A, 386, 387, 120B of IPC, Sections 10 (b)(ii), 20, 18, 13 of the UA(P) Act, Section 25(1-AA)/35 of the Arms Act and Section 17 of CLA Act.
Both accused have been given a maximum of 15 years RI under Section 25(1-AA)/35 of the Arms Act. All sentences will be served concurrently.
This case pertains to Hazaribagh in Jharkhand, where, following intelligence, local police conducted a search and arrested Prafulla Kumar Malakar in the Silodar Forest near Chauparan in August 2012. The authorities confiscated a USA-made M-16 rifle, 14 live rounds, two mobile phones, and a bulletproof jacket from Malakar, who was part of the Arms and Ammunition Supply Unit of the banned terrorist organization CPI (Maoist).
Subsequent investigations led to the arrest of Yadav, a Zonal Commander of CPI (Maoist), who had arrived to acquire weapons from Malakar. The police recovered Rs 9 lakh, two mobile phones, a 9 mm pistol, and two live rounds from Yadav's possession.
The NIA took over the case from the local police on December 17, 2012, filing supplementary charge sheets against Malakar and Yadav, as well as an absconding accused, Mantu Sharma, between 2014 and 2017.