NIA arrests 4 persons in arms trafficking investigation

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Thursday arrested four accused persons after extensive searches at multiple locations in three states in connection with an organised illegal arms and ammunition trafficking case. Twenty two teams of NIA conducted simultaneous searches at seven locations in Nalanda, Sheikhpura and Patna districts of Bihar, 13 locations in Auraiya district of Uttar Pradesh, and two locations in Kurukshetra district of Haryana. The teams seized a large quantity of arms and ammunition of different bores, over Rs. 1 crore in cash, several digital and electronic devices containing incriminating data, incriminating documents including fake and suspicious identity documents, during the searches.

Following the searches, NIA arrested Shashi Prakash from Patna, Ravi Ranjan Singh from Sheikhpura, and Vijay Kalra and Kush Kalra from Kurukshetra for their active involvement in the larger syndicate engaged in the trafficking, sale and purchase of illegal ammunition. The ammunition were being smuggled from Haryana to Uttar Pradesh, and further delivered to Bihar and other parts of the country as part of the conspiracy, as per NIA investigations.

The case had originated in July this year in Bihar, where the local police had arrested four accused, identified as Rajendra Prasad, Kumar Abhijit, Shatrudhan Sharma and Vishal Kumar, following multiple arms and ammunition seizures and recoveries. NIA, which took over the case in August on the directives of the Ministry of Home Affairs.

(Freelance Journalist)