NIA conducts searches in Bihar over arms smuggling case linked to Nagaland

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has conducted searches at the residence of an accused in a 2024 arms smuggling case in Bihar, recovering several weapons, ammunition, and cash, officials said on October 9

The searches were carried out on Wednesday as part of a case involving the smuggling of illegal arms and ammunition from Nagaland for circulation across different parts of Bihar.

According to an NIA statement, the team seized one 9mm pistol, 18 live cartridges of 9mm, two pistol magazines, one double-barrelled 12-bore gun, 35 live cartridges of 12-bore ammunition, and ₹4.21 lakh in cash from the house of Sandeep Kumar Sinha, also known as Chhotu Lala, in Vaishali district.

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Sandeep Kumar is said to be a close associate of the arrested prime accused Vikash Kumar and an active member of the arms trafficking network under probe. The case was originally registered by the Bihar Police after the recovery of an AK-47 rifle and live ammunition.

During the investigation, four individuals — Vikash Kumar, Satyam Kumar, Devmani Rai alias Anish, and Md Ahmad Ansar — were arrested and charge-sheeted by the NIA.

Recently, another accused, Manjoor Khan, was also arrested and is currently lodged in Beur Jail in Patna.

The probe into the arms trafficking network was taken over by the NIA in August last year and is ongoing, officials added.