On Tuesday, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) conducted searches at 16 locations across four states, namely Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, and Goa, in a criminal conspiracy case linked to the banned Popular Front of India (PFI) and its alleged anti-national activities. The case was initially registered on 12th July 2022 at PS Phulwarisharif, District Patna, Bihar, and later re-registered by the NIA on 22nd July 2022. The agency has so far conducted searches at 60 locations to collect credible evidence related to the case.
The searches were carried out at the premises of the PFI suspects, and a hoard of digital devices and bank transaction details were seized during the operation. The search also led to the seizure of incriminating documents related to the PFI and Indian currency of the face value of Rs. 1,00,000/-. The locations where the searches were conducted included Siwan, Sheohar, Muzaffarpur, Darbhanga, Katihar, Araria, Purnea, and East Champaran districts of Bihar, South Goa district of Goa, Rampur and Bhadohi districts of Uttar Pradesh, and Ludhiana district of Punjab.
The NIA teams also arrested thirteen persons in the case, who were suspected to have trained PFI cadres in Phulwarisharif, Patna on 6th and 7th July 2022, along with certain other suspects. Investigations have revealed that the accused, along with other suspects, were operating from the rented premises in Phulwarisharif for carrying out criminal activities on behalf of the PFI. The accused had also worked as Physical Education trainers for the recruited cadres of PFI.
The case is related to the unlawful activities of PFI and its ideology, and investigations are ongoing to expose the links between the 13 arrested accused and the 16 persons linked to the premises involved in the searches. Efforts are also being made to trace any other suspects who may be involved in the case. The NIA filed a Chargesheet against four accused persons on 7th January 2023. It is suspected that even after the ban on Popular Front of India by the Government, its cadres continued to be involved in promoting the outfit’s ideology and its nefarious, unlawful, and anti-national activities.
