New Delhi: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has recovered a cache of arms, ammunition and cash during searches at the residence of an accused in connection with a 2024 arms smuggling case that originated in Bihar, officials said on Thursday.
The agency conducted the raid on Wednesday at the Vaishali district residence of Sandeep Kumar Sinha, also known as Chhotu Lala, allegedly part of an interstate network trafficking illegal weapons from Nagaland to Bihar.
According to the NIA, the search led to the seizure of one 9 mm pistol, 18 live cartridges, two pistol magazines, a double-barrel 12-bore gun, 35 live rounds of 12-bore ammunition, and Rs. 4.21 lakh in cash.
Investigators described Sinha as a close aide of arrested prime accused Vikash Kumar and an active member of the trafficking syndicate.
The racket allegedly supplied arms and ammunition across multiple districts of Bihar.
The case was initially registered by Bihar Police following the recovery of an AK-47 rifle and several live cartridges.
The NIA took over the investigation in August last year.
So far, the agency has arrested and chargesheeted four accused—Vikash Kumar, Satyam Kumar, Devmani Rai alias Anish, and Md Ahmad Ansari.
Another accused, Manjoor Khan, was arrested recently and is currently lodged in Beur Jail, Patna.
