Maoist leader used extortion money to secure daughter’s medical admission: ED

Pramod Sharma, alleged secretary of the CPI(Maoist)’s Banawar sub-area zonal committee, has been accused of using the illegal funds to further his children’s educational ambitions. Both he and his brother, Pradumn, have been charge-sheeted by the investigation agency.

A probe has revealed that an alleged Maoist commander of the Bihar-Jharkhand zone used Rs 45 lakh gained through extortion and levies to finance his children’s educational goals, the Enforcement Directorate (ED) stated on Monday.

Security personnel undertake an anti-Maoist operation in the forests of Bihar. (HT File)

Pramod Sharma alias Prabhakarji, alleged secretary of the CPI(Maoist)’s Banawar sub-area zonal committee, has been accused of using the illegal funds to enrol his son and daughter in coaching institutes across Kota and Patna. Later, he even used part of the money to pay for his daughter’s admission to a medical college, the ED stated.

The ED has charged Pramod Sharma and his brother, Pradumn Sharma alias Kundanji, with money laundering and a host of other offences. Pradumn is the alleged in-charge of the extremist group’s special area committee for Bihar-Jharkhand (Magadh zone).

The agency has provisionally attached the duo’s moveable and immoveable assets, valued up to Rs 68 lakh. It had attached property worth Rs 89 lakh belonging to Sandeep Yadav – a Jharkhand-based Maoist commander – in a similar move last month.

“The ED has also found that several contractors are collecting levies and laundering cash on the behalf of Pradumn Sharma. These contractors are also being investigated,” the agency stated, adding that certain steel firms in Chennai helped Pramod launder money for the purpose of paying for his daughter’s medical admission.