New Delhi, 6th Aug : Further tightening its noose around the unlawful and anti-national activities of the Popular Front of India (PFI), the National Investigation Agency (NIA) has arrested one more accused in the Patna case relating to the banned outfit’s conspiracy to disturb peace and drive a communal wedge in the country.
The accused, Shahid Reza of Chakia area of East Champaran district of Bihar, was arrested on Saturday, taking the total arrests by NIA in the case (RC-31/2022/NIA/DLI) to 16.
Shahid Reza was taken into custody by the NIA based on the disclosures made by another accused, Md. Yaqub Khan @ Sultan @ Usman, during its investigations. The agency searched Shahid’s house and also seized one Pistol, ammunition, an Air-Pistol, one sword and two knives. These weapons etc were given to Shahid by Md. Yaqub Khan to keep in safe custody, NIA investigations have revealed.
NIA has been carrying out extensive investigations in the case relating to unlawful and anti-national activities of members of PFI. It had earlier arrested 15 accused in the instant case and also seized several incriminating articles/documents relating to the radical organisation which was raising a PFI Army by radicalization and indoctrination of youth through false & communal narratives, at the behest of anti-national forces operating from across the border, to wage a war against the country. The accused had been promoting the unlawful & violent agenda & activities of the PFI and channelising illegal funds from abroad to the PFI members/accused persons in this case for carrying out of violent terror acts.
Investigations by the agency have also exposed the sinister agenda of the PFI, which had been engaged in organizing Arms & Terror Training Camps to train the radicalized youth in use of weapons, swords and iron rods to wreak terror and vengeance on their ‘enemies’.
On 7th January 2023, the NIA had chargesheeted four accused, followed by a supplementary chargesheet against four more accused on 3rd August 2023. The supplementary chargesheet was filed in the NIA Special Court, Patna, Bihar, against Md Tanweer @ 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 as FIR no. 827/2022 dated 12th July 2022 at Phulwarisharif police station, district Patna, Bihar. It was re-registered by NIA on 22nd July 2022.
