Delhi HC seeks NIA response on plea for FIR copy against alleged PFI members
Oct 07, 2022
New Delhi [India], October 7 : The Delhi High Court on Friday sought a response from the National Investigation Agency (NIA) on a plea moved by Popular Front of India (PFI) associates who were recently arrested, for not providing an FIR copy to them.
The bench of Justice Anoop Kumar Mendiratta on Friday posted the matter for October 10 on the plea of a PFI member arrested during the NIA's raids on September 22, seeking direction to provide a copy of the FIR.
The petition has been moved by one Muhammad Yusuf, who was also arrested by NIA during the multiple raids conducted on September 22. Appearing for the Petitioner, Advocate Adit Pujari informed the court that the agency has not provided an FIR copy to the accused despite repeated requests.
Recently in a major crackdown against PFI, over 106 PFI members were arrested in multiple raids carried out by a joint team of NIA, ED and state police across 11 states.
NIA in a press statement issued in regard to searches and arrests across India on Popular Front of India (PFI) stated that the searches were jointly conducted by the ED, NIA and the State Police forces across India.
NIA carried out searches in 93 locations of 15 states of India viz Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Delhi, Assam, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Goa, West Bengal, Bihar and Manipur.
These searches were conducted at the houses and offices of the top PFI leaders and members in connection with five cases registered by NIA following continued inputs and evidence that the PFI leaders and cadres were involved in the funding of terrorism and terrorist activities, organising training camps for providing armed training and radicalising people to join banned organisations.
NIA also said that a large number of criminal cases had been registered by different states over the last few years against the PFI and its leaders and members for their involvement in many violent acts. Criminal violent acts carried out by PFI such as chopping off the hand of a college professor, cold-blooded killings of persons associated with organisations espousing other faiths, collection of explosives to target prominent people and places, support to Islamic State and destruction of public property have had a demonstrative effect of striking terror in the minds of the citizens.
Over 106 PFI cadres were arrested on Thursday in a joint operation conducted by the National Investigation Agency, Enforcement Directorate and state police forces across 11 states in the country's multiple locations.
