New Delhi, Oct 11 (Bureau) The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Wednesday carried out extensive search operations at 20 different locations across the country as part of an ongoing investigation into cases linked with the Popular Front of India (PFI) and their involvement in unlawful and anti-national activities, an official spokesman said here. These searches were carried out at premises in various regions, including Fazalpur, Shaheen Bagh, Okhla and Chandni Chowk in Delhi, Bhopal in Madhya Pradesh, Thane and Mumbai in Maharashtra, Tonk and Gangapur City districts in Rajasthan, and in Lucknow, Siddharth Nagar, Sant Ravidas Nagar, Kanpur and Gorakhpur in Uttar Pradesh. Searches were also carried out in Madurai, Tamil Nadu. The spokesman said that a substantial cache of crucial evidence in the ongoing case was found during the searches. “This evidence includes various digital devices such as laptops, mobile phones, SIM cards, memory cards, pen-drives and hard discs. Furthermore, incriminating documents have been recovered during the operations,” he said. He said that a significant amount of Indian currency, with a face value of Rs 8.5 lakhs, has been seized in connection with the instant case.
The case was initially lodged at Phulwari Sharif police station, in Patna, on July 12, 2022. “Following its investigation, the NIA re-registered this case on July 22, 2022, he said. The spokesman said that the core allegation of this case centres around the gathering of individuals with suspicious intent in the Phulwari Sharif area of Patna. On July 11, 2022 a raid was executed by the officers of Phulwari Sharif police station, based on confidential information. This operation targeted the rented residence of Athar Parvez, culminating in the discovery of incriminating materials closely associated with the PFI, he added. He said that a document titled “India 2047 Towards Rule of Islam in India, Internal Document: Not for circulation” was among the findings. “The investigation lead to the apprehension of several suspects at the initial stages,” he said.The spokesman said that the accused in this case, including Athar Parvej, Md Jalaluddin Khan, Nooruddin Zangi alias Advocate Nooruddin and Arman Malick alias Imteyaz Anwer, were taken into custody for their alleged involvement in this matter.He said that so far NIA has submitted three charge sheets against a total of 13 suspects in this case. “During the course of investigations, a total of 17 accused persons have been taken into custody.
They are alleged to have been actively involved in furthering the unlawful activities of PFI, including the illicit funneling of funds from overseas to the PFI members and suspects in this case,” he said. The spokesman said that earlier the NIA conducted multiple searches in Bihar, UP, Punjab, Goa, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Kerala in order to collect evidence against the accused persons and suspects in the present case.He said that during the ongoing investigations, the NIA apprehended Anwar Rashid, a former member of the banned organisation Students Islamic Movement of India (SIMI). “Anwar Rashid’s arrest is linked to his involvement in a criminal conspiracy, alongside FIR-named suspects Athar Parvej, Manjar Parvej, and others, all working towards advancing the agenda of the PFI,” he said. The spokesman said that dollowing the ban on SIMI, its members, including Anwar Rashid, were associated with Wahadat-e-Islami, an organisation formed by former SIMI members, and continued to promote the ideology of Islamic rule in India. He said that the Investigations revealed that accused Anwar Rashid, in his association with a Publication house was involved in the supply of material for promoting the ideology of the PFI, specifically the establishment of Islamic Rule in India. “The investigation in this case continues,” he said.