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NIA arrests 5 persons for alleged connection with banned Popular Front of India
The arrests come in wake of extensive searches condusted by the NIA on Tuesday in six locations in the districts of Theni, Dindigul, Madurai and Chennai
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Tuesday arrested five accused in the case involving the banned Popular Front of India (PFI) taking the total number of arrests in Tamil Nadu to 15, the agency said.
“Investigations had revealed that the accused had conspired and planned to eliminate their ‘perceived enemies’ who were not aligned to the PFI ideology and were opposed to its plans to establish an Islamic State in India by 2047,” NIA said on Tuesday.
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“In pursuance of the conspiracy, the accused persons had radicalized a large number of PFI cadres, especially youth, handpicked by the outfit’s leadership, and had also trained them in the use of different kinds of weapons to assault, maim and kill their adversaries”, NIA added.
The five arrested accused have been identified.
The arrests come in wake of extensive searches condusted by the NIA on Tuesday in six locations in the districts of Theni, Dindigul, Madurai and Chennai.
The places searched included properties of the accused, mostly houses and farmhouses.
“A host of incriminating material, including sharp edged weapons, digital devices and documents, were seized during the searches, leading to the arrest of the five accused,” NIA said.
The NIA said the case was related to the “unlawful and anti-national activities” of the PFI.
Initially, NIA had registered a case on 19 September last year following which a charge sheet against ten accused were filed on 17 March.
