| Jharkhand industries in Maoist mess |
They paid protection money to Maoist outfits in the state. But they are now in serious trouble. The police are keeping a hawk’s eye on companies filling up Maoist coffers in Jharkhand.
“Paying such a ‘levy’ is as serious a crime as collecting it,” West Singhbhum Superintendent of Police Sudhir Kumar Jha told HT. The SP added that he has got printouts of conversations between several mine owners and Naxalites.
In his confessional statement to the police, Nirbhay, a Maoist leader arrested a month ago, said mining companies and crusher units pay exorbitant amounts. Police say his statement echoes that of Ram Chander Ganju, commander of Platoon-22 of the banned outfit. Both were arrested in a combing operation in the Saranda forest.
“We have a printout of calls made from Nirbhay’s cellphone. Last month, a Manoharpur-based petrol pump owner called up his Maoist contacts 71 times, and often spoke for over half-an-hour.” The petrol pump-owner identified as Pathak has been arrested.
Maoists had stalled work at a prominent company's site on March 26 and 27 after the company did not pay the entire ‘levy’. The matter was sorted out between the two parties in Kolkata. Police claim to have printouts of the company’s officials talking to Maoists’ Central Area Committee leaders to sort out the problem.
A company with an international presence paid a huge ‘levy’ to carry out business in the Saranda region, police claim. After paying money to Naxalites, the firm started mining activities without obtaining an explosive licence, the police added.
Intelligence agencies have compiled a list of firms that have paid money to the Maoists. The list was submitted to the government a few months ago. According to the list 120 mining companies and crusher units had collectively paid more than Rs 12 crore.
The list, however, does not include SAIL, which has iron ore mines in Kiriburu and Meghatuburu. Maoists had kidnapped four SAIL officials on April 28, 2003, and released them with a notice demanding Rs seven crore every month.
On December 12, 2003, they raided the Meghatuburu loading plant and assaulted some employees, reasserting their demand. However, there has been no attack on the company since.
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