History-sheeter with Maoist links held

Accused wanted in over 30 cases of robbery in MMR area would send proceeds of crime to Nepal

The Maharashtra Anti Terrorism Squad (ATS) has arrested a history-sheeter with a long record of armed robbery, who was allegedly involved in financing Maoist activities in Nepal. The accused, who has at least 30 cases to his name, would allegedly commit crimes in Maharashtra and send the proceeds of the crimes to Maoists in Nepal.

Nepal’s Maoist issue

Nepal, over the last one year, has witnessed an escalation in Maoist activities, including an attack on the office of a private telecom operator in February 2019 and string of bomb blasts in Kathmandu in May last year, the credit for which was claimed by the Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist), led by Netra Bikram Chand. There have also been repeated indications of the Inter-Services Intelligence, Pakistan’s premier intelligence agency, joining hands with Maoists in Nepal to channel counterfeit currency and other contraband into India, which was substantiated by a 2010 Wikileaks release.

According to ATS officers, the accused, Dalvir Singh Rawat (38), was arrested from near Mastakhar petrol pump in Andheri on Saturday based on a tip-off received by police inspector Daya Nayak, in-charge of the ATS’s Juhu unit. A native of Nepal with no fixed address in Mumbai, Mr. Rawat is also known as Pappu Nepali in the criminal underworld and is said to change locations often to evade arrest.

“A search of Mr. Rawat’s person revealed that he was carrying a country-made pistol and three live cartridges. He was arrested and preliminary investigations against him revealed definite links with Maoists in Nepal. We also found out that he has at least 30 cases of robbery and dacoity registered against him in Mumbai, Navi Mumbai and Thane,” a senior ATS officer said.

Wanted in Vijaywada

The officer said Mr. Rawat was wanted for an armed robbery in Vijaywada, Andhra Pradesh in 2017, in which him and his accomplices had robbed a gold jewellery workshop and decamped with 16 kg of gold.

“Mr. Rawat would often arrange for Maoists from Nepal to come to India and commit offences in various cities so that they could take the proceeds back home. He is part of a larger racket that finances the Maoist activities in Nepal, with several others involved, and we are probing this angle further,” the officer said.

Based on the weapon and the ammunition seized from him, the ATS believes that Mr. Rawat had come to Mumbai with the intention of committing another robbery. The source of the arsenal is also being traced, while he is being interrogated further about his activities. The Andhra Pradesh police have been informed about his arrest, and will be seeking his custody after the ATS has finished interrogating him, sources said.