Early Thursday (December 4) morning, NIA teams carried out raids in Auraiya and Kanpur Dehat districts of Uttar Pradesh. They searched the house, petrol pump, and all business locations of Kamal Verma, who runs a petrol station and owns Naina Electronics. At the same time, more than 15 teams sealed different places from around 2 a.m. onwards. During the operation, officers checked digital records as well as documents related to money transactions.
Meanwhile, the NIA worked on the ground along with the bomb disposal squad and the Auraiya police. According to sources, the agency acted on sensitive intelligence inputs. Moreover, officials believe the operation may be linked to the Delhi blast investigation. However, authorities have not officially confirmed any case in connection with the raids so far.
At several locations, the NIA arrived together with nearly 20 vehicles. In addition, more than eight cars were used to cover Nizhahi Mohalla, Nayara petrol pump near the district hospital road, four houses, and gun shops and stores in the jewellery market. Furthermore, officials questioned employees and other related people at all sites. Notably, just a day earlier, police arrested one of Kamal Verma’s employees with thousands of illegal cartridges. As a result, investigators placed the Verma family under close watch soon after this arrest.
Earlier as well, reports had linked the Verma family to cases involving illegal weapons. Therefore, when news of the raids spread across the city in the morning, rumours and discussions quickly followed. For now, NIA teams continue their searches at all locations. Meanwhile, officials have refused to comment on questions related to the operation.
Purulia–Chhattisgarh Link Emerges
In addition, investigators are also examining links with the Purulia and Chhattisgarh cases. About six months ago, officers reportedly seized over 3,000 cartridges in Chhattisgarh from a close associate of Kamal Verma. Consequently, investigators now believe the old Purulia arms drop case has resurfaced. On December 17 1995, a plane dropped hundreds of AK-47 rifles and large amounts of ammunition in West Bengal’s Purulia district.
Security agencies had earlier believed that these weapons were meant to help the Ananda Marg group launch an anti-communist uprising. Moreover, suspicion had also fallen on Kamal Verma’s father, Mahesh Verma. During questioning by the then SP Sanjay Singhal, Mahesh Verma reportedly consumed cyanide and died.
During the current search, however, the businessman did not turn up at his home. Meanwhile, SP Abhishek Bharti confirmed that the NIA operation is still ongoing. He added that officials will be able to share details only after the raids conclude. So far, officers have not recovered anything major, officials said. In the meantime, investigators continue to collect clues from the old Purulia and Chhattisgarh cases as part of the wider probe.
