PFI Patna case: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has arrested one more accused from Bihar in a case related to a conspiracy by the banned Popular Front of India (PFI) to disturb peace and drive a communal wedge in the country, an official said on Sunday.
According to NIA, the accused, Shahid Reza of the Chakia area of the East Champaran district of Bihar, was arrested on Saturday, taking the total number of people arrested in the PFI Patna conspiracy case to 16.
NIA recovered arms and ammunition
It further said that Reza was taken into custody by the NIA based on the disclosures made by another accused, Mohd Yaqub Khan alias 'Sultan' alias 'Usman', during his interrogation. The agency searched Shahid’s house and also seized one Pistol, ammunition, an Air-Pistol, one sword and two knives. The officials said that the NIA investigations have revealed that these weapons etc were given to Reza by Khan to keep in safe custody.
The NIA has been carrying out extensive investigations in the case relating to unlawful and anti-national activities of members of PFI. Earlier, the NIA had earlier arrested 15 accused in the instant case and also seized several incriminating articles and documents relating to the radical organisation which was raising a PFI Army by radicalization and indoctrination of youth through false and communal narratives, at the behest of anti-national forces operating from across the border, to wage a war against the country.
Investigations exposed sinister agenda of PFI
The accused had been promoting the unlawful and violent agenda and activities of the PFI and channelising illegal funds from abroad to the PFI members and accused persons in this case for carrying out of violent terror acts.
"Investigations have also exposed the sinister agenda of the PFI, which had been engaged in organising arms and terror training camps to train the radicalised youth in use of weapons, swords and iron rods to wreak terror and vengeance on their ‘enemies’," the official said.
NIA registered case in July 2022
On January 7, 2023, the NIA had chargesheeted four accused, followed by a supplementary chargesheet against four more accused on August 3, 2023. The supplementary chargesheet was filed in the NIA Special Court in Patna, Bihar, against Md Tanweer alias Md Tanweer, Md Aabid, Md Belal and Md. Irshad Alam, who were engaged in propagating the ideology of the banned outfit and in planning criminal acts by arranging arms and ammunition.
The case was initially registered on July 12, 2022, at Phulwarisharif police station in Patna. It was re-registered by NIA on July 22, 2022.
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