Guwahati : Special NIA court convicts 5 people in 12-year-old PLA-Naxal nexus case

A special National Investigation Agency (NIA) court in Guwahati convicted 5 people in the People’s Liberation Army (PLA)-Naxal nexus case from 2011, which was related to a criminal conspiracy to threaten India’s unity, integrity, security, and sovereignty, the agency announced on Thursday.

PLA members N. Dilip Singh of Manipur, Senjam Dhiren Singh of Assam, and Arnold Singh of Assam have been convicted. The other two are Indranil Chanda and Amit Bagchi, both of whom are from West Bengal and have ties to the Naxals.

Following extensive hearings, the court convicted the five accused in the case on Wednesday under Sections 121A of the Indian Penal Code and Sections 18, 18A, and 39 of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act 1967.

On July 1, 2011, the NIA opened a suo moto case based on information that the PLA, a proscribed terrorist organization, had plotted to destabilize the country with the help of the CPI (Maoist) or Naxals.

“CPI (Maoist) leaders had agreed to recognize and support the separatist activities of PLA for the creation of the northeastern state of Manipur, as a separate nation. The PLA leadership, on its part, decided to support the continuing war of CPI (Maoist) for overthrowing the constitutionally elected Government of India,” said the NIA.