PATNA, Aug. 22 -- The National Investigation Agency (NIA) sleuths on Thursday carried out separate raids in East Champaran and Vaishali districts of Bihar in connection with the recovery of an AK-47 assault rifle from the house of a panchayat head (Mukhiya) in Muzaffarpur in 2024. The raids were part of ongoing investigations into illegal arms and criminal networks operating in Bihar, officials said. Officials familiar with the matter said that the NIA sleuths, along with district policemen, raided the residence of notorious criminal and land mafia Rahul Mukhiya in Khajuria village under the Gobindganj police station area. Simultaneously, another raid was conducted at the house of former village head Chhedi Singh in Tharbitiya village of Pakri Dayal block. During the raids, heavy police force was deployed, barring anyone from entering or leaving during the raids. Rahul Mukhiya, the husband of Bahadurpur Panchayat village head Jyoti Kumari, has a long history of criminal activities and is widely known as a land mafia. He has a criminal past. The involvement of Chhedi Singh's family is also suspected in the AK-47 case, prompting the NIA to extend its action to his residence. So far, there has been no official confirmation on what the agency seized during the searches at both locations. Officials said a six-member NIA team reached Vaishali's Dak Bungalow Chowk under Town police station around 4:30 am and began searches at the residence of one Raju Rai. Local police accompanied the sleuths, who questioned Rai and his family members and inspected the premises, including the rooftop and water tank. In another raid at the house of one Bittu Babla in Hajipur, Vaishali, police recovered two country-made firearms, six live cartridges, and four bottles of IMFL. Investigators are believed to have also recovered crucial documents and evidence that could speed up the ongoing probe....