New Delhi, Nov 29 (IANS) The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Saturday filed charges against one more accused in a case relating to attempts by the banned CPI (Maoist) terror organisation to revive its influence in northern states.

The arrested accused, Vishal Singh alias Suraj, a resident of Mathura (UP), has been chargesheeted under section 121A of IPC and sections 18,20, 38 & 39 of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act.

He is the second accused to be charge sheeted in the case RC-01/2023/NIA-LKW.

The NIA had in February charge sheeted accused Ajay Singhal alias Aman in the case related to concerted attempts by leaders, cadres and sympathisers/Over Ground Workers (OGWs) of CPI (Maoist) to re-energise the organisation in the NRB states of UP, Uttarakhand, Delhi, Punjab, Haryana and Himachal Pradesh.

As per NIA investigations, CPI (Maoist) member Vishal Singh had spent 10 days in the Chhakarbandha/ Pachrukhiya forest area to train the organisation’s cadre on the handling and operation of a drone that he was carrying.

He also conducted cadre meetings with senior CPI (Maoist) leaders Pramod Mishra alias Sohan Da and Sandeep Yadav alias Rupesh Ji, CC member of Bihar Jharkhand Special Area Committee (BJSAC) of CPI(Maoist).

In another development, a special court of the National Investigation Agency (NIA) has convicted two more accused in the Lucknow Al-Qaeda terror conspiracy case.

According to a press note issued by the NIA, Mohd. Mustaqueem and Shakeel, both residents of Lucknow (Uttar Pradesh), were convicted by the NIA court under section 25 (1B)(a) of the Arms Act, read with section 120B of the IPC.

“The Special Court at Lucknow sentenced the duo for a period of 20 months. A fine of Rs 5000 each has also been imposed against them,” the NIA said.

Earlier, on October 30 2025, the court had convicted one Mohammad Moid of Lucknow in the same case, related to the arrest of two members of the banned Al-Qaeda terrorist organisation.

On July 11, 2021, the UP Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS) arrested an Al-Qaeda member, Umar Halmandi, in Lucknow for radicalisation and recruitment for AQIS (Al-Qaeda in Indian Subcontinent).

“The arrest by the UP Anti-Terrorist Squad had taken place on July 11 2021, based on information that an Al Qaeda member, Umar Halmandi, was involved in radicalisation and recruitment of members for AQIS (Al-Qaeda in Indian Subcontinent) in Lucknow,” it said.

The probe into the case revealed that Umar, based near the Pakistan-Afghanistan border, was in Lucknow recruiting youth to execute terrorist acts in various U.P. cities before Independence Day 2021.

–IANS

rch/dan