Ranchi: A special NIA court on Tuesday sentenced 12 people to rigorous imprisonment between 8 and 10 years and imposed fines ranging from Rs 40,000 to Rs 90,000 in the 2016 Magadh-Amrapali terror funding case.The court sentenced Pradeep Ram, Bindeshwar Ganjhu, Munesh Ganjhu, Birbal Ganjhu, Bhikhan Ganjhu, Anischay Ganjhu, Mukesh Ganjhu and Amar Kumar Bhokta to RI of 10 years under sections 16, 17, 20 and 23 of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA).Four other convicts — Sanjay Jain, Binod Kumar Ganjhu, Subhan Miyan and Prem Vikas — were sentenced to eight years of RI under the same UAPA sections.Sources said longer sentences were awarded to those with more serious criminal antecedents. The period already spent in custody will be set off against their prison terms. Another accused, Ajit Kumar Thakur, was discharged.The court also ordered the forfeiture of properties seized from the convicts on the grounds that they constituted proceeds of terrorism.Police registered a case at Tandwa police station in Chatra district in 2016 after recovering Rs 91 lakh from the house of Binod, who ran a transport company in Magadh area.The case involved alleged extortion from contractors, transporters and coal traders, with the money being used to support the banned outfit Tritiya Sammelan Prastuti Committee (TSPC).National Investigation Agency (NIA) took over the probe in Feb 2018 on the Centre’s direction. Following a Supreme Court order in Nov 2022 to complete the trial within a year, proceedings were conducted on a day-to-day basis.
