Probe agency NIA conducts raids in 5 states to bust banned outfit PFI's conspiracy

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) conducted a series of raids and searches across five states on Sunday as part of its continued efforts to foil the banned-outfit Popular Front of India (PFI) conspiracy to “disturb” peace by driving a communal wedge to destabilise the country.

The terror probe agency raided a total of 14 locations in Kannur, Malappuram (Kerala), Dakshin Kannada (Karnataka), Nashik, Kolhapur (Maharashtra), Murshidabad (West Bengal) and Katihar (Bihar). The NIA found incriminating digital devices and documents were seized during the raids.

The central probe agency has been working to unravel and thwart the attempts by PFI and its top leadership to “create” an armed cadre and raise a “PFI Army” to establish an “Islamic Caliphate” in India by the year 2047 through acts of terror, violence and sabotage, the NIA probe claimed.

Radicalisation and Armed Training

According to the probe agency, the PFI has been conspiring to radicalise youth and provide them with weapons training to further its violent anti-India agenda by fighting against certain sections of society.

NIA suspects several mid-rung PFI agents have been operating as master trainers who conduct arms-training camps across various states to impart skills on weapons use like iron rods, swords and knives to its highly radicalised cadres.

Based on intelligence and insights, the terror probe agency has been raiding multiple locations in various states over the past several months to identify and arrest these cadres and operatives.

The NIA registered a case against the PFI in Delhi in April 2022.

The probe agency collected incriminating evidence leading to the arrest of several top PFI leaders, including over a dozen national executive committee (NEC) members, following country-wide operations in September 2022.

The NIA conducted intensive investigations against the accused and filed a chargesheet against 19 in March 2023. The PFI, as an organisation, was also named in the chargesheet.

Subsequently, in April 2023, a supplementary chargesheet was filed against the PFI national coordinator of weapons training.