The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has arrested Sandeep Kumar Sinha in Bihar in connection with an alleged network that moved AK-47 rifles and other prohibited-bore weapons from Nagaland to the state. The agency said Sinha had been absconding and was taken into custody in Vaishali district on 29 October 2026.
According to the NIA, officers apprehended him at Town Police Station, Vaishali, at about 10:30 pm. The agency said a car, mobile phones, SIM cards and memory cards were recovered during the arrest. The seizure is part of an investigation into the alleged procurement and movement of firearms across states.
Investigation began after rifle recovery
The case arose from an FIR registered at Fakuli Police Station in Muzaffarpur district on 7 May 2024. Police had recovered an AK-47 rifle, a lens and live ammunition near Murghatiya Bridge, after which the matter was taken up for investigation. The NIA later assumed control of the case, registered as RC-11/2024/NIA/DLI.
The agency has alleged that Sinha worked with other accused persons to transport the weapons from Nagaland to Bihar. The NIA said the suspected activity was intended to disrupt public peace and endanger national security. These allegations remain subject to the investigation and the judicial process; an arrest is not a finding of guilt.
- Accused arrested: Sandeep Kumar Sinha
- Place of arrest: Vaishali district, Bihar
- Items seized: A car, mobile phones, SIM cards and memory cards
- Case origin: Recovery of an AK-47 rifle, lens and live ammunition near Murghatiya Bridge in Muzaffarpur
Further arrests and chargesheets
The NIA said four people were initially arrested after it took over the investigation into the alleged smuggling network. Following its probe, the agency filed three supplementary chargesheets against six accused persons under provisions of the Indian Penal Code, the Arms Act and the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act.
The agency had also arrested Bhairav Tripathi on 19 August 2026 and Karamullah on 22 August 2026, according to its statement. The arrests and supplementary chargesheets indicate that investigators are examining the alleged network beyond the recovery of the rifle itself, including the roles attributed to multiple accused persons.
The NIA said its investigation is continuing. The case brings together concerns over the circulation of military-pattern firearms, inter-state weapons trafficking and the possible use of such weapons to threaten public safety. Any further findings, including the alleged source, intended recipients or wider operational links, will have to emerge through the ongoing investigation and proceedings before the designated court.
