RANCHI, Aug 18: A special NIA court in Ranchi has sentenced 12 people to prison terms ranging from five to 10 years in a case involving alleged extortion from coal transporters, contractors and traders in Jharkhand’s Amrapali-Magadh mining belt to raise funds for the banned Tritiya Prastuti Committee (TPC).
The sentences were pronounced in NIA case RC-06/2018/NIA/DLI, linked to an alleged levy-collection network operating in the coal-rich areas of Chatra district.
Of the 12 convicts, five have been awarded 10 years of rigorous imprisonment, six will serve eight-year terms, while another has been sentenced to five years in prison.
The case relates to alleged forced collection of money from people involved in coal mining and transportation in the Tandwa police station area of Chatra district.
12 Convicted, One Acquitted
The National Investigation Agency had filed its initial chargesheet against 16 accused in December 2018, followed by a supplementary chargesheet against five more in January 2020, taking the total number of accused to 21.
The first phase of the trial involved 13 accused. The prosecution examined 119 witnesses during the proceedings.
On August 12, the special NIA court found 12 of the chargesheeted accused guilty under various provisions of the Indian Penal Code and the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act. One accused was acquitted.
Extortion Network Linked to Coal Operations
According to the NIA investigation, members of the banned TPC allegedly operated an organised network in the coal-mining region. Some of the accused were also linked to armed cadres associated with the CPI (Maoist), the agency said.
The investigation alleged that the network worked through local committees and with the involvement of traders, transporters and other individuals to collect illegal levies.
The money was allegedly demanded in exchange for allowing coal mining and transportation activities to continue without disruption.
The case highlights the alleged use of extortion proceeds to support the activities of a banned armed group in one of Jharkhand’s key coal-producing regions.
The convictions mark a significant development in the NIA’s investigation into alleged terror-funding and extortion networks operating around the state’s coal mines.
