32 PFI members detained in raids from Delhi’s Nizamuddin, Seelampur, Jamia Nagar

At least four people were released during the day, while a majority of those detained were produced before a magistrate and sent to judicial custody of varying durations from three to seven days, the officials said.

At least 32 members of the Popular Front of India (PFI) and its political wing, Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI), were detained in raids conducted jointly by Delhi Police and central agencies early on Tuesday, officials aware of the development said.

Aneesh, an accused detained during a raid by Special Cell of the Delhi Police for his alleged association with Popular Front of India (PFI), at Amar Colony police station, in New Delhi, Tuesday. (PTI)

Tuesday’s raids were part of the second round of action within a week on the premises of the organisation and its functionaries across the country as part of what has been described as the largest ever crackdown against the group over allegations of terror funding and related activities. Last Thursday, the central agencies and state police forces raided 93 locations across 15 states and arrested 108 people associated with the outfit. These included the president and secretary of PFI’s Delhi unit.

At least four people were released during the day, while a majority of those detained were produced before a magistrate and sent to judicial custody of varying durations from three to seven days, the officials said. Those detained were placed under “preventive arrest” under Section 107 of the Code of Criminal Procedure.

Though Delhi Police did not reveal names or the number of those placed under preventive arrest, HT confirmed from multiple officers in police and central agencies that they include – SDPI’s Delhi president IA Khan, vice-president Shaheen Kausar, treasurer Farid and another unnamed officer bearer. While Kausar was released on Tuesday, others were reportedly produced before a special executive magistrate during the day and sent to Tihar.

The raids were conducted by a joint team of the local police, special cell and National Investigation Agency (NIA) between 2pm and 4.30pm on Tuesday. The teams raided premises at Shaheen Bagh and Batla House in Okhla, Prem Nagar in Rohini, Seelampur in north-east Delhi and Nizamuddin west in south Delhi.

The police teams also broke open the office of the SDPI in Nizamuddin and seized a hard disk, pen drive, CCTV camera footage and other papers.

Later, the police issued a statement and said that 30 persons were detained in a “joint coordinated action against PFI suspects. The police did not reveal any other details.

“There was a suspicion about breach of peace by people belonging to SDPI and PFI so they were detained. SDPI had planned a protest in Delhi in the backdrop of the arrest of PFI members last week. The permission was denied. Some of its members have already indulged in violence in other parts of the country following last week’s arrest,” said a police officer, who asked not to be named.

HT contacted cell phone numbers of the SDPI office bearers but the phones were switched off. “All of them have been detained from different parts of the city. We have come here to replace the locks that the police broke last night. We are yet to hear from the police,” said an employee at SDPI’s Nizamuddin office.

Imrana Parveen, wife of Farid -- one of the SDPI office bearers who were among those detained -- said that the police have asked her to come to the Special Executive Magistrate (SEM) court after three days where her husband will be produced. “My husband is not involved in any anti-national activities. I asked the police officers why he had been arrested but they did not offer any response. Farid runs a book stall in Nizamuddin and works for the party,” she said.

Delhi police in their charge sheets filed in the 2020 Delhi riots have maintained that PFI funded the anti-Citizenship Law Protests in 2019 and the subsequent riots that broke out north-east Delhi, which left 53 dead and at least 400 injured. Police in their charge sheet have also alleged that the conspiracy to orchestrate riots in Delhi was plotted at the PFI’s office in Shaheen Bagh.

After Thursday’s action on PFI members, the group had issued a statement accusing the government of launching a witch-hunt and harassing members of the outfit.