Adhunik Steel’s manager Ajay Kumar Singh used to collect levy from coal transporters for TPC militants. Ajay Singh and company’s GM Sanjay Jain also participated in a meeting of TPC militants held in the jungle. The NIA had informed the court about these facts after investigating the terror funding case related to the Amrapali project. In the light of the facts presented by the NIA, the court has rejected the discharge petition of the manager of Adhunik Power.
After the second charge sheet was filed in the terror funding case, Ajay Kumar Singh, manager of Adhunik Power and Natural Resources, filed a discharge petition. During the hearing of the case, this argument was presented on behalf of Ajay Kumar that in this whole episode, there is a direction. TPC militants used to be armed. He used to extort money from DO holders and transporters.
DO holders and transporters used to pay them out of fear and compulsion to keep their business activities smooth. He had nothing to do with the activities of the extremists. In fact he was suffering.
TPC militants and company officials met each other :
During the hearing, it was argued to the NIA that the officials of power companies, transport and TPC militants associated with the Amrapali project were in collusion with each other. These companies include Adhunik Power and Natural Resources, Lalitpur Power Generation Company, Balaji Transport, Esco Concast and Minerals and BKB Transport.
Investigation found that the TPC militants had formed a ‘Peace cum Steering Committee’ in the name of welfare and security of the villagers. This committee had decided to recover the rate of Rs 254 per MT from DO holders and transporters under different heads. In this amount, the share of TPC militants, villagers, CCL officers, local police officers, journalists and others was fixed. Later it was decided to reduce the rate of Rs 254 to Rs 200 per MT.
Levy amount was sent to militants through messenger, 10 rupee note was code word
The NIA told the court that Adhunik Power’s manager Ajay Kumar Singh used to collect the fixed levy amount (Rs 200 per MT) of the militants from the DO holders and transporters. Later this amount was given to the militants. People used to ask for this amount from the traders by sending one of their men to the extremist organization. The person who was sent by the militants to bring the money was given a 10 rupee note.
The photo of this Rs 10 note was sent to the person from whom the levy deposit was to be taken. The merchant concerned used to identify the messenger from the number of the note and give him the money. The NIA also told the court that all the officers of Modern Power were aware that money was being given to the militants. To confirm this, the mail sent by the officials of the company to each other was cited.