Senior Superintendent of Police, Akhilesh Kumar Jha said on a tip-off a special team was formed to keep vigil on the NH 33 and the team detected two persons - Rahul Das, member of Hoogly Zonal Committee of Maoists, and Raju Mahto - a resident of Indurmati who were found exchanging bag in a suspicious manner.
The duo tried to flee on seeing the police team but were caught following a chase, Jha said adding police have recovered Rs. 4 lakh, one country-made revolver, two rounds of ammunition and two mobile phones from them.
On being interrogated, Mahto admitted that he has given the cash to Rahul, who came here to collect the levy money on the directive of one Chotan Das, a member of Jharkhand-Odisha-Bengal Regional committee of the ultra outfit.
Chotan was now heading a frontal organization named Bandi Mukti Vahini, Jha said.
The money was being collected from a contractor engaged in a development project in East Singhbhum district, Jha said adding that Rahul had already collected Rupees three lakh.
Earlier, Rahul had served two and half years jail term in connection with a case lodged in Patamda police station in 2007 under section 386 IPC and Arms Act.