The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has arrested Chhattisgarh-based Adivasi activist Raghu Midiyami, accusing him of having links to Maoist organisations. The 23-year-old activist, who belongs to the Gond Adivasi community, was taken into custody Thursday evening, February 28, and presented before the NIA special court yesterday, February 28. He has since been sent to Jagdalpur Jail, reported Maktoob Media.
Activism
Midiyami, a prominent activist from Chattisgarh's Bastar, has been a vocal critic of the militarisation and corporatisation of the region. The NIA has accused him of being a top leader of a banned front organisation allegedly associated with the Communist Party of India (Maoist).
Charges on Midiyami
According to an NIA press release, Midiyami’s arrest is linked to a terror funding case in Chhattisgarh.
The FIR, which was accessed by Maktoob, was registered in 2023 and includes charges under:
- Sections 8(1), 8(3), and 8(5) of the Chhattisgarh Special Public Security Act, 2005
- Sections 10 and 13(1) & (2) of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967 (UAPA)
Background of the case
The case first surfaced in November 2023, when Chhattisgarh Police arrested and charge-sheeted two individuals identified as Over Ground Workers (OGWs) of Moolwasi Bachao Manch (MBM).
The NIA took over the investigation in February 2024, uncovering what they claim is a terror funding network. The agency alleges that Midiyami was responsible for collecting, storing, and distributing funds to support CPI (Maoist) activities.
Midiyami's role in Moolwasi Bachao Manch
Midiyami was the President of the now-banned Moolwasi Bachao Manch (MBM), an organisation formed by Adivasi peasants.
The group had been advocating for the Implementation of the Panchayats (Extension to Scheduled Areas) Act (PESA) and the 5th Schedule, an end to mining activities and displacement, the cessation of mass killings by security forces, and the demilitarisation of Bastar.
