The National Investigation Agency (NIA) arrested three accused in the 2019 murder case of Bhima Mandavi, the BJP MLA from Chhattisgarh.
The three accused have been identified as Laxman Jaiswal, Ramesh Kumar Kashyap and Kumari Linge Tati. All the three accused belong to the Dantewada district of Chhattisgarh.
BJP MLA Bhima Mandavi was killed on April 9, 2019, following which a case was registered. "The case was registered at Kuakonda Police Station u/s 147, 148, 149, 302, 396, 307 and 120B of IPC, Sections 25 and 27 of Arms Act, Sections 3 and 5 of Explosive Substances Act, Sections 13(1)(a), 38 and 39 of UA (P) Act," according to a press release.
"It pertains to an IED blast and indiscriminate firing by CPI (Maoist) cadres near Shyamgiri Village of Dantewada district resulting in the death of Bhima Mandavi, the then sitting BJP MLA from the district, and four personnel of the Chhattisgarh Armed Force (CAF). The arms and ammunition of the martyred police personnel were also looted by the CPI (Maoist) cadres," it added.
Investigation revealed that Laxman Jaiswal, who runs a grocery shop in Nakulnar, provided electric wires, explosive substances and other items for the IED blast carried out by CPI (Maoist) cadres. While, Ramesh Kumar Kashyap, the ex-Sarpanch of Kakadi Village and Kumari Linge Tati were instrumental in providing logistic support to the Naxalites and were part of the conspiracy.
The accused were produced before the NIA Special Court, Jagdalpur on Wednesday, and were taken on police remand for seven days. Further investigation in the case is underway.
( With inputs from ANI )