RANCHI, India, March 19 -- Jharkhand High Court issued the following order on March 17:

1. Heard Mr. Jitendra S. Singh, learned counsel for the appellant and Mr. Amit Kumar Das, learned Special P.P.-NIA.

2. This appeal is directed against the order dated 26-08-2025 passed by the learned Additional Judicial Commissioner-XVIcum-Special Judge, NIA Cases, Ranchi in Misc. Criminal Application No. 1544/2025 in Special (NIA) Case No. 03 of 2023 corresponding to RC Case No. RC-03/2023/NIA/RNC, whereby and whereunder, the prayer for bail of the appellant has been rejected.

3. The prosecution case in a nutshell is that on 02-07-2022, based on a reliable information, the informant along with other policemen and CRPF personnel had intercepted and arrested three persons, namely, Sakhu Pradhan, Samru Khariya and Sukhram Munda, near Bera Kenduda School and in course of search, a letter pertaining to the proscribed terrorist organization CPI(Maoist) was found in the possession of Sakhu Pradhan. In course of interrogation, the apprehended accused persons had disclosed that they used to work for the members of CPI (Maoist), namely, Saurabh Da, Misir Besra, Bachcha Singh, Damodar Turi, Lajim Ansari and Nasir Ansari alias Chhotu and they had also disclosed that they were going to Saranda Forest to hand over the said letter to Misir Besra, CC Member of CPI (Maoist). The apprehended accused persons had further disclosed that the said letter is of Saurabh Da and was given to them by Damodar Turi.

Based on the aforesaid allegations, Anandpur P.S. Case No. 16/2022 was instituted under Section 17 CLA Act and under Section 10/13 of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967. The Government of India, Ministry of Home Affairs, CTCR Division, vide its Order F. No. 11011/74/2023/NIA dated 21-08-2023 directed the National Investigation Agency, Ranchi to take over the investigation of the said case pursuant to which the same was re-registered as RC-03/2023/NIA/RNC.

4. It has been submitted by Mr. Jitendra S. Singh, learned counsel for the appellant that the appellant has been implicated on the confessional statements of the apprehended accused. The implication of the appellant is purely on the basis of surmises. The appellant is the President of Mazdoor Sangathan Samiti and has organized several meetings on the eve of Mazdoor Diwas but such activities cannot be said to be subversive in nature. It has been submitted that the appellant is in custody since 03-01-2025.

5. Mr. Amit Kumar Das, learned Special P.P.-NIA has submitted that in course of investigation, the NIA has unearthed several incriminating materials against the appellant including the extracted data of the digital device seized from Prashant Bose, Eastern Regional Bureau Secretary of CPI(Maoist) and the same contained handwritten letters and some of the letters bear the handwriting of the appellant which has been confirmed by the CFSL, Kolkata. The appellant used to carry out overground activities under the direction of the Maoist leaders and he also receives financial assistance from the proscribed organization.

*Rest of the document can be viewed at: (https://hcservices.ecourts.gov.in/ecourtindiaHC/cases/display_pdf.php?filename=A9S7c5LDIsB6RXaCf816xxw44zPymzBESEl3%2BbtBIG0t9aRm2awaQpvEJ62M489C&caseno=Cr.A(DB)/1186/2025&cCode=1&cino=JHHC010318252025&state_code=7&appFlag=)

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