HC rejects bail plea of terror funding accused

Ranchi: The Jharkhand high court on Wednesday dismissed the bail plea of petitioners Sudesh Kedia and Birbal Ganjhu, who are accused in a terror funding case that is investigated by the National Investigating Agency.
A division bench of Justice H C Mishra and Justice Rajesh Kumar had earlier heard the petitions filed by Kedia and Ganjhu and after hearing the detailed arguments of both sides, the bench reserved its order. The court held that the petitioners have committed a serious offence and aided in spreading terror.
Accused Kedia is a coal transporter operating in the Amrapali and Magadh colliery projects run by the Central Coalfields Limited in Latehar, while Ganjhu is an area commander of the banned Maoist outfit, Tritya Prastuti Committee (TPC).
The case was originally lodged at Tandwa police station under Latehar district. However, it was learnt later that the transporters operating in the area are funding the rebel organisation and running their business in collaboration with the extremists.
The case was taken up by the NIA in 2016 after the Union Government took note of seizure of a large sum of money, arms and ammunitions which were recovered from TPC extremists in different combing operations conducted by the police. Interrogation revealed that the source of money is organised through the steady support of coal transporters in the area. Resultantly, Kedia was accused of funding the TPC while Ganjhu was instrumental in collection of funds and channelising it to run the TPC.