Patna: 2 PFI activists, including ex-cop and SIMI member, arrested

Police added the duo along with other suspects from Kerala, Chennai and Telangana used to train the locals under the garb of martial arts training

Patna police on Wednesday arrested two Popular Front of India (PFI) activists from Phulwarisharif police station area and booked them under relevant charges of conspiring and attempting to create religious animosity and promote enmity between two religions.

Police also recovered posters, flags and pamphlets. (File image)

One of the accused, identified as Mohammad Jalaluddin, is a retired police sub-inspector of Jharkhand police while the second has been identified as Mohammad Athar Parvez, a former member of banned outfit Student Islamic Movement of India (SIMI).

Confirming their arrest, Patna SSP Manavjit Singh Dhillon said a police team led by Additional SP (Phulwarisharif) Manish Kumar conducted a raid at the house named as Ahmad Palace, situated at Nayatola Nahar Par, and arrested two suspects. They also recovered posters, flags and pamphlets. Jalaluddin is said to be the owner of Ahmad Palace who had rented his house to Athar Parvez.

Police told HT that both the accused trained youths on the name of PFI and SDFI (Social democratic party of India).

Police added the duo along with other suspects from Kerala, Chennai and Telangana used to train the locals under the garb of martial arts training. Police has reportedly recovered CCTV footage of the same.

According to police investigations, Athar reportedly raised funds from Pakistan, Turkey and Bangladesh and used it to release SIMI activists and terrorists from judicial custody.

Patna police added the Enforcement Directorate (ED) will investigate the fund trail matter.

During investigation police found that some outsider suspects came Phulwarisharif and attend the meetings held in Ahmad Palace. The suspects were staying in hotel in fake names and fake Air Tickets.

The duo have been taken to judicial custody under sections 120A & 120B (criminal conspiracy), 153A (promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion, race, place of birth, residence) and 141 r/w 34 (unlawful assembly) of the Indian Penal Code.