Patna: Vinay Ram, a hardcore Maoist, was arrested from the Minapur police station area in Muzaffarpur district on Friday, police said.

Vinay, the cops said, is the right-hand man of arrested zonal commander Lalbabu Sahni. Acting on a tip-off, a police team had conducted the raid at Vinay's hideout in a village under Panapur police outpost. Vinay had allegedly shifted to his in-laws' house to carry out operations in and around the district.

Muzaffarpur senior superintendent of police Harpreet Kaur said Vinay was wanted in Naxalite cases lodged in four police stations in the district. She said he was close to top-ranking Maoist leader Lalbabu Sahni, who is currently lodged in jail.

Vinay's arrest comes a day after a National Investigation Agency (NIA) team held another Maoist in Katihar district. The NIA team took Umesh Yadav into custody for questioning in the recovery of weapons in Muzaffarpur district and funding to the banned outfit.

Umesh is a resident of Katihar district and considered close to Anil. The NIA had lodged a case against Umesh, alias Abhimanyu, alias Rajendra ji, on April 14 under different sections of the Arms Act, Explosive Substance Act and Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act. Musafir Sahni, Dilip Sahni and Kamlesh Bhagat had already been arrested in the case.

Sources in the NIA said arms, ammunition and funds were recovered from one of the accused, Anil Ram, in Muzaffarpur in April this year. "Since Umesh was wanted in a case lodged by the NIA in Patna, he will be produced in the NIA special court here," an officer said.