Delhi Court grants bail to eight persons in case linked to PFI

New Delhi [India], November 29 : A Delhi Court has granted bail to eight persons arrested by Delhi Police under stringent sections of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) and Indian Penal Code (IPC) in connection with a case linked to the Popular Front of India (PFI).
The Delhi Police had arrested them in October's first week and had recovered some flags of PFI alongwith pamphlets of PFI Zindabad'.
The court while granting bail said that accused persons are already in custody since October 3, 2022, and October 5, 2022, respectively and are no more required for custodial interrogation and no fruitful purpose would be served by keeping them behind bars.
Additional Sessions Judge Sanjay Khanagwal in an order passed on November 28, 2022, granted bail to Sheikh Gulfam Hussain, Abdullah, Mohd. Shoeb, Mohsin Khan, Habeeb Asghar Jamali, Abdul Rab, Mohd. Waris Khan and Mohd. Shoaib be released on bail on their furnishing personal bail bonds in the sum of Rs.25,000/- each.
The court questioned the Delhi Police investigation and said I am of the view that on the one hand, the persons visible in the CCTV footage are not clear and on the other hand, the registration number of the vehicles in which they were being forcibly taken is also not visible. In these
circumstances, it would not be appropriate to comment upon this piece of evidence.
Although it is a matter of trial and accused persons are at liberty to put their defence in the light of cogent evidence in this regard. Still, at this stage, no such opinion on the CCTV footage can be formed in view of the material produced during the hearing of the present bail applications.
Advocate Mujeeb ur Rehman appeared for the accused persons and argued that FIR in the present case was registered against the accused persons for the commission of an offence under Sections 10 and 13 of UAPA and Section 153A/120B IPC. Offences of Sections 10 and 13 of UAPA are not part of strict restrictions on bail under Chapters IV and VI as provided u/s 43-D of UAPA. No previous criminal antecedents of the accused persons have been shown.
The offence primarily against the accused persons is about being members of the organisation which was declared unlawful vide notification dated 29.09.2022 and the accused persons were found advocating, abetting and assisting unlawful activities of the banned organisation i.e. Rehab India Foundation, All India Imams Council (AlIC) and PFI by raising slogans and from their possession, incriminating material like flags, pamphlets etc were recovered, submitted Advocate Mujeeb Ur Rehman.
There is no allegation of involvement of accused persons in any terrorist activities and offence alleged against the accused persons is not punishable for more than
seven years, submitted the lawyer.
According to the Delhi Police, on 30/09/22, an FIR under relevant provisions of the UA(P)Act and IPC was registered against the proscribed unlawful organisation PFI and its other associates/fronts at Police Station Shaheen Bagh, Delhi.
Recently The Centre Government has imposed 5 year Ban on the Popular Front of India (PFI). Earlier Delhi police also raided 50 locations and arrested 32 persons linked with PFI with the input of central agencies.