NIA files charge sheet against 33 Maoists in Chhattisgarh MLA murder

The NIA has filed a charge sheet against 33 cadres of the outlawed CPI (Maoist) for the 2019 murder of Chhattisgarh MLA Bhima Mandavi, an official said.

File photo

New Delhi: The NIA on Thursday filed a charge sheet against 33 CPI (Maoist) cadres in the murder case of Chhattisgarh MLA Bhima Mandavi in 2019. The charge sheet was submitted in a special NIA court in Jagdalpur under relevant sections of the IPC.

Of the 33 accused, six have been arrested, 22 are absconding and five have died, the official said.

The case relates to an IED blast followed by indiscriminate firing on April 9, 2019 near Shyamgiri village in Dantewada district in which Mandavi, the then MLA of Dantewada, was killed by the operatives of CPI (Maoist), along with four police personnel of Chhattisgarh Armed Force (CAF).

The arrested persons are Madka Ram Tati, Bhima Ram Tati, Linge Tati, Laxman Jaiswal, Ramesh Kumar Kashyap and Haripal Singh Chauhan, the NIA said in a press release.

Accoring to the NIA statement, the decision to kill Mandavi was taken at Dandakaranya Special Zonal Committee (DKSZC) level meeting held in December 2018 in West Bastar, Chhattisgarh.

Under the leadership of terrorist Bada Deva, cadres of the CPI (Maoist) were mobilised and an IED on the Nakulnar- Bacheli road was placed near Shyamgiri village where annual fair was being organised.

The statement said the place was pre-decided as the Maoist leaders believed that prominent political leaders, including Mandavi would attend the annual fair on April 9 last year.

The arms and ammunition of the slain security personnel were also looted by the assailants.

The NIA arrested six accused who had provided shelter, food, logistic support, electric wires and steel containers to the Naxalites.

Further investigation in the case was underway.