NIA files chargesheet against 10 people, including seven Maoist cadres, in 2023 Chhattisgarh assembly election blast case

Ten people have been charged by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) in relation to the 2023 Chhattisgarh assembly election blast case, including three detained CPI (Maoist) overground workers, Mohan Yadav, Bhupendra Dhruv, and Lakhanlal Yadav, as well as seven cadres of the outlawed terrorist organization.

All ten of the suspects have been charged under several provisions of the Explosive Substances Act, the Indian Penal Code (IPC), and the UA(P) Act, according to an official statement.

The issue concerns last year’s state assembly elections and the improvised explosive device (IED) explosion that occurred in the hamlet of Badegobra in Chhattisgarh’s Gariyaband district.

At the Mainpur police station, the case was first filed as FIR number. 94/2023. On February 22, 2024, NIA re-registered it. Searches were also carried out at the homes of the detained suspects in Badegobra throughout the inquiry, which led to the discovery and seizure of incriminating evidence and Rs. 2,98,000.

Following the conclusion of the voting process, a polling crew and security guards were returning from the hamlet of Badegobra when the explosion happened in the afternoon of November 17, 2023, according to the announcement. After suffering severe injuries in the explosion, one Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) head constable passed away.

“Investigations have revealed that the attack was planned by CPI (Maoist) Central Committee Members Ganesh Uikey and Manoj, and Special Zonal Committee Member Satyam Gawade, in response to the outfit’s call for the boycott of the assembly polls in the state,” according to the announcement.

Over-ground workers (OGWs) in the villages of Badegobra and Chhotegobra assisted Gobra Dalam cadres, members of the banned terrorist group, in carrying out the explosion.

The NIA’s probe into the matter is still ongoing.