One more arrested from Bihar in PFI conspiracy case

National Investigation Agency has arrested one more accused from Bihar in a case related to a conspiracy by the banned Popular Front of India

New Delhi: The National Investigation Agency has arrested one more accused from Bihar in a case related to a conspiracy by the banned Popular Front of India (PFI) to disturb peace and drive a communal wedge in the country, an official said on Sunday.

Shahid Reza of Chakia area of East Champaran district was arrested on Saturday, taking the total number of people arrested in the PFI Patna conspiracy case to 16, a spokesperson of the federal agency said.

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The official said Reza was taken into custody by the NIA based on the disclosures made by another accused, Mohd Yaqub Khan alias ‘Sultan’ alias ‘Usman’, during his interrogation.

The agency searched Reza’s house and also seized a pistol, ammunition, an air-pistol, one sword and two knives, the spokesperson said, adding these weapons were given to him by Khan to keep in safe custody.

The NIA has been carrying out extensive investigations in the case, registered last year, relating to unlawful and anti-national activities of the members of proscribed PFI.

Earlier, the NIA had arrested 15 accused in the case and also seized several incriminating articles and documents revealing to a PFI’s plan to “raise an Army by radicalisation and indoctrination of youth through false and communal narratives, at the behest of anti-national forces operating from across the border, to wedge a war against the country”.

“Investigations have also exposed the sinister agenda of the PFI, which had been engaged in organising arms and terror training camps to train the radicalised youth in use of weapons, swords and iron rods to wreak terror and vengeance on their ‘enemies’,” the spokesperson said.

On January 7, the NIA had chargesheeted four accused, followed by a supplementary chargesheet against four more accused on August 3.

The case was initially registered on July 12 2022 at Phulwarisharif police station and later taken over by NIA 10 days later.