₹48 lakh fraud case linked to PLFI chief Dinesh Gope exposed

Ranchi: A sensational case has surfaced in which PLFI supremo Dinesh Gope was allegedly duped of ₹48 lakh by a man from Gujarat, who posed as a suspended employee of the Prime Minister’s Office–affiliated National Technical Research Organisation (NTRO). The fraudster, identified as Nandlal Swarnkar, had promised to help arrange Gop’s surrender before the authorities. Out of the total amount, he reportedly used ₹17 lakh to start a dairy business. The case came to light during a joint investigation by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) and the National Investigation Agency (NIA).

Dinesh Gope, the chief of the banned extremist outfit People’s Liberation Front of India (PLFI), is one of Jharkhand’s most notorious insurgents. He was active across several districts, including Ranchi, Khunti, Chaibasa, Simdega, and Gumla, and faces over 40 criminal cases. He was arrested in Nepal and is currently lodged in jail.

According to investigation details, the conspiracy was uncovered after the questioning of Chandrashekhar, a resident of Bero in Ranchi and a member of Gop’s organisation. He revealed that as pressure from central agencies intensified, the group began exploring ways for Gop’s surrender. During this process, contact was established with one Navinbhai Jayantibhai Patel, who introduced them to Nandlal Swarnkar in Delhi. Swarnkar claimed he was a suspended NTRO official and demanded money to facilitate the surrender.

Gope’s associates Suman Kumar and Jitendra Kumar later travelled to Delhi with the funds, which were sent through a hawala network via Panipat. Of the ₹48 lakh, ₹3 lakh was deducted as commission, and ₹43 lakh was handed over to Swarnkar at Hotel Ashok in Delhi.

The money, according to investigators, was described as agricultural income. A man named Parasn Jain reportedly helped transport the cash from Panipat to Delhi. During interrogation, both Suman and Jitendra admitted to handing over the amount to Nandlal and Navinbhai Patel.

In a statement recorded in September 2025, Nandlal Swarnkar confessed that he had indeed received the money from Suman Kumar and Jitendra Kumar in connection with Gop’s surrender plan. He also admitted that he used ₹17 lakh from the amount to start a dairy business.