Hyderabad: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) conducted searches in two locations of Hyderabad along with Maharashtra, Kerala, and Tamil Nadu in connection with a case against a top Maoist leader arrested five months back.
Among the locations searched included the residence of N. Venugopal, a close relative of Telegu poet Varavara Rao, a magazine editor living in Himayatnagar and Ravi Sharma living in LB Nagar. Varavara Rao had earlier been arrested for allegedly plotting to assassinate Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The ED officials have seized Venugopal's mobile phone before leaving the premises.
Notably, similar searches were also conducted at many locations across Maharashtra, Kerala, and Tamil Nadu yesterday. The NIA sources said that after conducting searches in Thane, Palakkad, Chennai, and Mallapuram, several documents, six mobile phones, SIM cards and cash worth Rs 37,000 were seized.
ED sources said the searches were conducted at premises associated with CPI (Maoist) central committee member Sanjay Deepak Rao, who was arrested by Telangana Police in September 2023 for alleged involvement in Maoist activities in Hyderabad, and other suspects. After arresting Rao, fake Aadhaar cards, a revolver, Rs 47,000 in cash and books related to the banned outfit were recovered from him.
The NIA had registered another case last month based on this case and investigations are underway. As part of investigations, NIA conducted searches at six places in four states yesterday morning. Rao was reportedly active in the border areas of Kerala, Tamil Nadu, and Karnataka, sources said.
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