PFI conspired to establish Islamic rule through terrorism: NIA and ED

NIA, India’s premier anti-terror agency, has also claimed that documents recovered during the raids suggest that PFI had a “hit list” to target “prominent leaders of a particular community”.

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) and the Enforcement Directorate (ED) have levelled a slew of charges against the Popular Front of India in their remand reports submitted to multiple courts in India on Thursday, ranging from allegations of “conspiring to establish Islamic rule by committing terrorist acts as part of violent jihad”, creating enmity between different groups, encouraging Muslim youth to join terrorist organisations such as the Lashkar-e-Taiba, Islamic State and Al-Qaeda, to collecting funds through underground channels.

The NIA and the ED have levelled a slew of charges against the PFI in their remand reports submitted to multiple courts (PTI)

NIA, India’s premier anti-terror agency, has also claimed that documents recovered during the raids suggest that PFI had a “hit list” to target “prominent leaders of a particular community”.

On Thursday, in a coordinated operation across 15 states and one Union territory, NIA, ED, and state police forces carried out simultaneous raids across the country that began around 3am and continued till 2pm. NIA by itself raided 93 locations with 300 officers and arrested 45 PFI leaders and cadres, including some of its top leadership. HT has seen the remand reports filed in a special NIA court in Ernakulam in Kerala, and before a special court in Bengaluru.

ED has claimed in its remand reports that PFI and its associate organisations were collecting funds from several Gulf countries in a “structured manner”, both through underground channels as well as cash donations collected by issuing bogus donation receipts. HT has seen the remand reports filed in courts in Lucknow and Delhi.

PFI has consistently denied these allegations, and reiterated its position on Thursday by describing the action as a “witch-hunt”.

In its remand report filed in Kerala, where it named 13 alleged office-bearers, of which it arrested 10, NIA said that PFI was conspiring to engage in unlawful activities by “by creating enmity between members of different religions and groups, prejudicial to maintenance of harmony, with intention to disrupt public tranquillity and cause disaffection against India.”

It said that PFI also propagates an “alternative justice delivery system justifying the use of criminal force causing alarm and fear among the general public and encourages vulnerable youths to join terrorist organisation including Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) /Daesh and Al-Qaida, and also conspired to establish Islamic rule in India by committing terrorist acts as part of violent jihad.”

Documenting developments that took place before Thursday’s raids, NIA said in the remand report that in light of these allegations, the ministry of home affairs had directed the agency to investigate the matter on September 16, and three days later, on September 19, a case was registered against the 13 PFI members under sections 120(B) (criminal conspiracy) and 153(A) (promoting enmity between groups) of the Indian Penal Code, as well as sections of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, or UAPA.

An officer familiar with developments said that the ministry of home affairs (MHA) Counter Terrorism and Counter Radicalization (CTCR) division issued the September 16 order. Home minister Amit Shah, this person said, is monitoring the investigation against PFI on a daily basis.

NIA said that documents seized during the raids at the homes and offices of PFI members contain “highly incriminating materials related to the targeting of prominent leaders of a particular community”.

“This hit list seized clearly shows that the PFI which is working through its leaders, members and associates have gone far ahead in creating atrocities among the people. More investigation is required in this aspect, not only to obtain more evidence, but also to prevent blood bath in society,” NIA said.

To be sure, a remand report is a compilation of prima facie evidence submitted to court by an investigating agency to get custody of an accused. Such a report by itself is not conclusive evidence of criminality which can only be established after a charge sheet is filed, and a trial ensues.

NIA’s remand report in Ernakulam also leans on the bandh called by the PFI on Friday, which saw incidents of stone-pelting and violence in different parts of Kerala, to argue against the granting of bail for the accused.

“The case involves key players of the society and they are highly influential even to the effect of stalling the community and its progress by a mere call. The common man stands threatened by the stand taken by the accused and their henchmen… If they are enlarged on bail, they will definitely go underground and their presence cannot be secured for elective investigation of this case and for subsequent trial,” NIA said.

In the NIA special court in Bengaluru, the agency also said that the Union government had received information that the PFI was “raising or collecting funds from within India and abroad” to “commit or get committed” terrorist acts in various parts of India including the states of Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Uttar Pradesh, and Delhi.

On its part, ED said that their investigations into PFI thus far have revealed that “more than 120 crore have been deposited in the accounts of PFI and related entities over the years and that a very large part of the same has been deposited in cash.” In a remand report submitted to a court in Lucknow on Friday, ED said that this money was used to incite violence and foment trouble leading to the Delhi riots in February 2020, for the visit of PFI members to Hathras to “disturb communal harmony” and to “organise a training camp with the intent to cause disturbance during the Prime Minister’s Patna visit” on July 12, 2022.

ED also alleged that funds received by PFI from overseas have been concealed from the government, and that necessary statutory compliance was bypassed as PFI and its related organisations are not registered under the Foreign Contribution Regulation Act (FCRA), 1976.

PFI said on Thursday that the raids were a witch-hunt. “NIA’s baseless claims and sensationalism are solely aimed at creating an atmosphere of terror. Popular Front will never ever surrender on any scary action by a totalitarian regime using the central agencies as its puppets and will stand firm on its will for recovering the democratic system and spirit of the constitution of our beloved country,” PFI said in a statement on Thursday.