NIA Charges Naxal Leader Sanjay Deepak Rao in Kerala Youth Recruitment Case

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has filed a chargesheet against a prominent Naxal leader, Sanjay Deepak Rao, for recruiting vulnerable youth into a banned terrorist group in Kerala. Rao is a Central Committee Member from the Western Ghats Special Zonal Committee (WGSZC) of the Naxal group.

The chargesheet was filed under various sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act before the NIA Special Court in Ernakulam, Kerala. The NIA registered the PLGA Recruitment Case on February 3, 2022, after discovering that Naxal members were conducting camps to recruit and train youth in Kerala.

According to the NIA, Rao conspired with others to radicalize two youths, Chaitanya alias Surya and Valagutha Anjayanelu alias V Anjaneyulu Velugutra, and motivated them to join the Naxal outfit. The duo received extensive militant training after their recruitment.

Previously, on August 3, 2022, the NIA had filed a chargesheet against Chaitanya and Anjayanelu in this case.