Ranchi, October 9: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Tuesday searched 15 locations in Jharkhand and West Bengal in connection with a probe into the role of some companies allegedly involved the in funding of a Maoist outfit Tritiya Prastuti Committee (TPC), said the agency.

Fifteen teams of the NIA were assisted by the state police forces during the raids it conducted at the residences and offices of managers of different companies in Ranchi, Hazaribagh and Jamshedpur in Jharkhand, and Durgapur in West Bengal.

The companies are associated with purchase and transport of coal in Amrapali and Magadh coalfields in Jharkhand and allegedly involved in providing funds to TPC, an NIA statement said. Terror Funding: NIA Raids Srinagar Businessman Ajaz Ahmad Hakak Residence.

The anti-terror agency has also seized huge incriminating materials and documents pertaining to payments made to Amrapali and Magadh area committees, bank account details and fixed deposits, deduction of levy amount, computers, hard discs, mobiles containing accounts of companies, and diaries containing entries of money paid to TPC and Peoples Liberation Front of India during the raids.

The NIA has also seized cash equivalent to Rs 68 lakh, besides 10,000 Singapore dollar and 1,300 USD, besides Rs 86,000 demonetized currency.

The NIA took over the case from Jharkhand Police and registered an FIR on February 16 this year following Home Ministry's order. The Jharkhand Police had registered an FIR in the case in January 11, 2016.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Oct 09, 2018 10:03 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).