As many as 106 people were arrested after NIA and ED conducted searches across 10 states in connection with anti-terror activities. The probe agency arrested Delhi PFI chief Parvez Ahmed and national chairman OMS Salam.
PFI Chairman OMA Salam and State president CP Muhammad Basheer were taken into custody from Malappuram’s Manjeri. The probe agency also arrested Delhi PFI chief Parvez Ahmed and his brother from Okhla at 3.30 am on Thursday morning.
A remand report was filed by the NIA on September 19 pertaining to the arrest of four accused after raids were carried out in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. The report revealed that PFI is trying to plot terrorist activity and is giving training to PFI activists to identify and kill people from a particular religion.
Security has been beefed up outside NIA headquarters as reports suggest that a few of the arrested PFI personnels could be brought to Delhi.
10 STATES, OVER 100 ARRESTS
Raids were carried out in multiple locations, especially in South India, and were termed by the NIA as the ‘largest ever’ investigation process ’till date’. The probe agency carried out raids in as many as ten states and one Union Territory and arrested at least 106 people. Arrests were made from Andhra Pradesh (5), Assam (9), Delhi (3), Karnataka (20), Kerala (22), Madhya Pradesh (4), Maharashtra (20), Puducherry (3), Rajasthan (2), Tamil Nadu (10) and Uttar Pradesh (8).
These searches were being conducted in the residential and official premises of persons involved in funding terrorism, organising training camps and radicalising people to join proscribed organisations.
According to sources, the NIA, ED and police officials from various states planned a co-ordinated operation which was started on the intervening night of Wednesday and Thursday. People associated with PFI and its related activities were picked up by the agencies.
-Six control rooms were set up for the purpose and monitoring was done by the Ministry of Home Affairs and Intelligence Bureau. The step was being taken to avoid any ruckus created by the PFI and to carry out monitoring.
-PFI chairman OMA Salam, Kerala state chief CP Mohammed Basheer, national secretary VP Nazarudheen and national council member Professor P Koya were taken into custody. NIA conducted raids at PFI offices and leaders’ residences in Kerala.
POLITICIANS LAUD MOVE
Politicians have appreciated the crackdown on terror-funding suspects. Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya said, “PFI is a changed form of Students’ Islamic Movement of India (SIMI) and has been part of anti-national anti-social activities.”
“Today the NIA raids are happening. A lot will come out,” he said.
Union minister Giriraj Singh said, “Law is doing its work. So I won’t comment on that. But I would like to say that PFI has been involved in anti-India activities. It is unfortunate that during the recent Phulwarisharif incident in Bihar where four PFI members were arrested, police tried to project it as a cultural organisation.”
