NIA chargesheets prominent Naxal in Kerala recruitment case

New Delhi [India], July 5 : The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Friday chargesheeted a prominent Naxal leader in the Kerala case relating to the recruitment of vulnerable youth to the banned terrorist outfit.

Sanjay Deepak Rao, a Central Committee Member from the Western Ghats Special Zonal Committee (WGSZC) of the Naxal group, has been charged under various sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act in the supplementary chargesheet filed by the anti-terror agency before the NIA Special Court, Ernakulam, Kerala.

NIA had registered the PLGA Recruitment Case suo moto on February 3, 2022, after it came to light that naxal members and its frontal organisations were conducting camps for the recruitment and training of youth to the proscribed outfit in Kerala. "Their activities posed a serious threat to the unity, integrity and sovereignty of India," said the NIA.

Further investigations by NIA had revealed that Sanjay Deepak Rao alias Vikas had conspired with others to radicalize two youths, identified as Chaitanya alias Surya and Valagutha Anjayanelu alias V Anjaneyulu Velugutra, and motivated them to join naxal outfit.
As per the agency, the duo was recruited into the terrorist organisation and provided extensive militant training.

NIA had earlier, on August 3, 2022, filed a chargesheet against Kambhampati Chaitanya alias Chaithanya alias Surya and Valagutha Anjayanelu alias V. Anjineyulu Velugutra in this case.