The NIA on Wednesday said that it conducted raids at premises belonging to the leaders and cadres of CPI (Maoist) in Uttar Pradesh, adding that the accused were trying to revive the banned terrorist organisation. .

Raids were conducted at the premises of accused and suspects at eight locations in Prayagraj, Chandauli, Varanasi, Deoria and Azamgarh districts of Uttar Pradesh.

Several digital devices, including mobile phones, laptops, pen drives, compact discs and memory cards, were seized during the raids, along with SIM cards, naxal literature, books, pamphlets, pocket diaries, money receipt books and other incriminating documents.

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) investigation indicated that several frontal organisations and students wings have been tasked to recruit cadres and propagate the ideology of CPI (Maoist) with the intent of waging a war against the Government of India. They were conspiring to commit acts of terror and violence in furtherance of this agenda.

“Investigations have also revealed that Pramod Mishra was leading the cadres and sympathizers/over ground workers (OGWs) of CPI (Maoist) in the efforts to revive the terror organisation. The raids were conducted on Tuesday at the premises of such cadres and OGWs,” said the official.

Last month, the Bihar Police had arrested one Rohit Vidyarthi, the brother of Ritesh Vidyarthi whose wife is named in the FIR relating to the case.

Rohit’s interrogation had further led the state police to the arrest of Pramod Mishra, member and in-charge of the NRB (Northern Regional Bureau) of CPI (Maoist). Following these arrests, the state police had seized arms, ammunition and a gun factory, where a lathe had been installed for making parts of weapons and assembling countrymade weapons in Bihar and Uttar Pradesh.

The FIR filed by NIA in connection with the case earlier had named accused Manish Azad and Ritesh Vidyarthi, along with their associates Vishwavijay, Seema Azad w/o Vishwavijay, Amita Shireen w/o Manish Azad, Kripa Shankar, Soni Azad w/o Ritesh Vidyarthi, Akanksha Azad and Rajesh Azad as some of the key accused working to further the CPI (Maoist) revival attempts.