Kolkata, Jan 6 (PTI) The NIA on Thursday submitted its chargesheet against Chhatradhar Mahato, a former leader of the Maoist-backed People's Committee Against Police Atrocities (PCAPA) and 16 others before a special court in connection with the murder of a CPI(M) leader at Jhargram in 2009.

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The National Investigation Agency had taken over the probe in the case from West Bengal police.

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It submitted the 96-page chargesheet against Mahato and 16 others in the killing of the CPI-M leader Prabir Mahato before the special court at Bichar Bhavan here, the agency's counsel Shyamal Ghosh said.

He was arrested by NIA in connection with the case soon after he cast his vote for the Assembly poll in March 2021.

The cetral agency had earlier filed a chargesheet against Mahato and others in the October 2009 hijacking of New Delhi-bound Rajdhani Express from Bhubaneswar for five hours at Jhargram station.

Mahato was arrested on September 26, 2009 for an attempt on the life of former chief minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee at Kantapahari in Paschim Medinipur district on November 2, 2008.

He was set free in February, 2020, following a reduction of his life term to 10 years' imprisonment by Calcutta High Court for his good conduct.

Mahato was inducted into Trinamool Congress in July, 2020.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)