Chatra cops likely to seek Paswan's custody

RANCHI: Chatra district police is likely to seek the custody of Ranjayji alias Sarveshji alias Pintu Paswan, a former military trainer at the CPI(Maoist) camp in Jharkhand. Paswan, 30 was arrested in a joint operation by Mumbai crime branch cops and Jharkhand police on Friday night. A special team of Jharkhand police is bringing Paswan from Mumbai to the state. He is scheduled to reach Chatra district in the wee hours on Tuesday.
The rebel is wanted for launching fatal attacks against security forces in Chatra. District SP Anoop Birtharay said police would move court to seek his custody on Tuesday. "We would apply for his custody when he is produced before a local court here," said Birtharay.
The fact that Paswan had distanced himself from left-wing extremism and was working as a carpenter in Mumbai surprised the cops. "It is important for us to know what forced him to distance himself from extremism and work as a carpenter. The development (Paswan distancing himself from extremism) certainly has certain undercurrents. He might provide important clues," said Birtharay.
Police said Paswan was behind the attack on the cavalcade of Chatra MP and former Jharkhand assembly speaker Inder Singh Namdhari in December 2011.
As per intelligence reports, Paswan was working in tandem with the central committee member of the CPI (Maoist) Arvindji alias Dev Kumar Singh. Paswan hails from Gaya district in Bihar, the same region from where Gautam Paswan, his senior and a member of the CPI(Maoist) Bihar regional committee, also hails. tnn"We had inputs that both of them engaged in disputes following which Pintu decided to distance himself from the outfit," said Birtharay.