New Delhi, Nov 24 (IANS): In a bid to expose and foil the conspiracy of CPI (Maoist) to revive and strengthen the proscribed organisation in Bihar's Magadh division, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Thursday conducted raids at 31 locations across Bihar including the premises of four arrested commanders. 

An NIA spokesperson here said that the raids, conducted at the premises of accused and suspected persons at 31 locations in the Aurangabad, Rohtash, Kaimur, Gaya and Saran (Chhapra) district of Bihar, led the agency to unearth the involvement of top CPI (Maoist) commanders in the conspiracy to revive the outfit and its cadres in Bihar and Uttar Pradesh.

The official said that during searches a host of electronic or digital devices, including mobile phones, SIM cards, SD cards and hard discs, along with incriminating documents, two country made pistols and Rs 3.53 lakh in cash were seized in the searches, conducted as part of NIA's investigation in two separate cases.

The places where searches were conducted on Thursday were identified as residential premises of four arrested accused persons who are commanders of CPI (Maoist), in addition to 27 suspected OGWs or supporters or sympathisers of the outfit, the official said.

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

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

The two accused persons were conspiring with other associates to commit unlawful activities and strengthen the cadres of CPI (Maoist) in Magadh region i.e. Gaya and Aurangabad districts. The NIA registered the case on August 31. While the other case was initially registered on August 7, at Goh police station in Aurangabad, and taken over 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 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), the official said