Ranchi (Jharkhand) [India], August 18 (ANI): A special National Investigation Agency (NIA) court in Jharkhand's Ranchi on Tuesday pronounced sentences against 12 accused persons relating to extortion and collection of levy from coal transporters, contractors and businessmen in the Amrapali-Magadh coal mining areas of the state for raising funds for the banned Tritiya Prastuti Committee (TPC).
NIA (National Investigation Agency) said TPC had armed cadres affiliated with Naxals and that its members, in connivance with local committees, businessmen, transporters and officials, were part of a criminal conspiracy to collect levy in exchange for allowing the mining and transportation of coal from the coal fields in Jharkhand.
Of the 12 accused sentenced, five were given a maximum of 10 years of Rigorous Imprisonment (RI), six were given a maximum of eight years of RI, and one was given a maximum of five years of RI.
The case relates to the extortion and collection of levy in the Amrapali and Magadh coal mining areas within the limits of Tandwa Police Station in Jharkhand's Chatra district.
NIA had filed the chargesheet and supplementary chargesheet against a total of 16 accused persons on December 22, 2018, and five persons on January 10, 2020, respectively.
The initial trial against 13 charge-sheeted accused was completed with the recording of evidence of 119 prosecution witnesses.
On August 12, 2026, the special NIA court in Ranchi had found 12 chargesheeted accused guilty under various sections of the Indian Penal Code and the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, while one chargesheeted accused was acquitted. (ANI)
12 accused sentenced in Tritiya Prastuti Committee terror funding case in Jharkhand
