The NIA on Thursday raided 31 locations in Bihar as part of its efforts to expose and foil a conspiracy by members of the proscribed CPI-Maoist to revive its organisation in the Magadh zone, an official said.

The raids were conducted at the premises of accused and suspected persons in Aurangabad, Rohtash, Kaimur, Gaya and Saran (Chhapra), a spokesperson of the federal agency said.

During the raids, the involvement of top CPI (Maoist) commanders in the conspiracy to revive the outfit and its cadres in Bihar and Uttar Pradesh was found, the official said.

Two country-made pistols, over Rs 3.53 lakh cash, a host of digital devices, including mobile phones, SIM cards, SD cards and hard discs, and incriminating documents were seized during the searches, the spokesperson of the National Investigation Agency (NIA) said.

The raids were conducted as part of an ongoing investigation in two separate cases registered this year, the official said.

The spokesperson said the places where the searches were conducted were identified as residential premises of four arrested people who are commanders of the CPI (Maoist). Places of 27 suspected over ground workers, supporters and sympathisers of the outfit were also searched, the official said.

The investigations have revealed that the four people had co-conspired with other accused persons to revive and strengthen the cadres of the CPI(Maoist) in the Magadh Zone, the official said.

A case was initially registered at the Tikari police station in Gaya on August 10 following the arrest of the chief of the Eastern Regional Bureau of the CPI(Maoist), Pramod Mishra, and the Sub-Zonal Commander, Anil Yadav, the agency said.

They were conspiring with other associates to commit unlawful activities and strengthen the cadres of the CPI (Maoist) in Magadh (Gaya and Aurangabad) area. The NIA took over and re-registered the case on August 31, the spokesperson said.

The official said the other case was initially registered on August 7 at the Goh police station in Aurangabad and re-registered by NIA on September 26.

The case relates to recovery and seizure of two booklets pertaining to the CPI (Maoist) Magadh Zonal Sangathnic Committee, along with arms and ammunitions, from the possession of accused persons Rohit Rai and Pramod Yadav, the spokesperson said.

The official said the duo, along with their associates, were conspiring to commit unlawful activities and were also extorting levy from contactors and brick kiln owners to promote the violent activities of CPI (Maoist).

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