क्राइम

"102 cases, ₹ 30 Lakh Reward": Self-Styled Maoist Leader Arrested

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has arrested a self-styled leader of a proscribed Maoist outfit, who was involved in over 100 criminal cases across three states.

Dinesh Gope was arrested from Delhi on Sunday.

Gope was earlier chargesteeted by the anti-terror agency in 2018 over recovery of demonetised currency worth ₹ 25 lakh from the operatives of People's Liberation Front of India (PLFI) - the Maoist outfit led by him.

Of the 102 cases registered against Gope in Jharkhand, Bihar and Odisha, most relate to murders, abductions, threats, extortion, and raising funds for the PLFI.

The NIA had declared a reward of ₹ 5 lakh for leads on Gope, in addition to ₹ 25 lakh reward announced by the Jharkhand government

"Gope had been pon the run for almost two decades," said the NIA.

On February 3 last year, an encounter had taken place between the PLFI members- led by Gope and the security forces in Jharkhand's West Singhbhum, but he managed to escape.

Since then, he took shelter in several locations in Jharkhand while working to reestablish PLFI's dominance in the state.

Gope is accused of extorting money from businessmen and contractors, which was used by the outfit to procure sophisticated weapons, including AK 47s and foreign-made Rifles, such as HK 33.

"Gope was involved in investing these funds in dubious shell companies, formed in partnership with other PLFI associates and his family members. The extorted money was also being transferred from Jharkhand to other places through a network of hawala operators," the NIA said.

PLFI, previously known as Jharkhand Liberation Tigers (JLT), is responsible for hundreds of terror incidents in Jharkhand, including several murders.

"The outfit used to lure unemployed youths by providing them motor bikes, mobile phones and easy money. After imparting training, the outfit used to equip them with lethal weapons to carry out terror incidents," the agency said.