Patna, Aug 20 (IANS) The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has arrested absconding accused Bhairaw Tripathi in connection with the seizure of an AK‑47 assault rifle, its lens and live ammunition in Muzaffarpur, Bihar.
Tripathi, son of Jagat Narayan Tripathi and a resident of Sahebganj in Muzaffarpur, was arrested on Wednesday, August 19, 2026.
The case is linked to NIA Case No. RC‑11/2024/NIA/DLI, which originated from the recovery of an AK‑47 rifle, a scope and live ammunition in the Fakuli police station area of Muzaffarpur.
According to an NIA statement, Tripathi, in collusion with other accused, had conspired to smuggle banned, state‑of‑the‑art weapons from Nagaland into Bihar. The agency alleged that the objective was to disrupt public peace and security and threaten national security.
The case stemmed from Fakuli Police Station Case No. 19/2024, registered on May 7, 2024, after district police recovered an AK‑47 and live ammunition near Murghatiya Bridge and arrested four individuals.
As the investigation progressed, the NIA filed several supplementary chargesheets. The first was against Vikas Kumar, Satyam Kumar, Devmani Rai and Ahmed Ansari on May 8, 2025.
The second was against Manzoor Khan on February 20, 2026, and the third against Kundan Kumar alias Kundan Bhagat on April 15, 2026.
The accused have been charged under Section 120B of the IPC, Sections 13 and 18 of the UAPA, and relevant provisions of the Arms Act.
Following Tripathi’s arrest, the NIA is conducting further investigations into his role in the arms smuggling network and identifying other potential accomplices.
The case is significant as it has uncovered an alleged conspiracy to transport sophisticated weapons from Nagaland to Bihar.
–IANS
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