1 more arrested for smuggling arms from RFI to Maoists

Kolkata: The Special Task Force (STF) of Kolkata Police today arrested a man from Bihar on the charge of being involved in an arms smuggling racket that was busted here last week, the police said.

Rajesh Kumar (35) alias Munna, was arrested from his residence in in Bihar's Nalanda district a senior officer of the Kolkata Police's STF unit said.

Six people, including two Rifle Factory Ishapore (RFI) officials, were arrested by the Kolkata Police last week from the city's Babughat area for their alleged involvement in smuggling arms to Maoists.

Rajesh's name cropped up while interrogating the six accused, the officer said, adding, "He has been given transit remand by Bihar Sharif Court. He will be brought to Kolkata tomorrow."

Preliminary investigation revealed that the arms were smuggled out of Ichapur Rifle Factory with the help of its two officers.

The racket was probably active since 2008 and supplying the arms and ammunition to Maoists in Bihar. STF sleuths were also probing whether they had supplied arms to insurgent groups in Nepal also.

Charges of criminal conspiracy and habitually dealing in stolen property, along with the Arms Act has been slapped against the arrested six accused.

The Kolkata Police STF had in September last year arrested a junior works manager of RFI for allegedly smuggling parts of SLR and INSAS rifles out of the factory and selling them to illegal arms manufacturers.