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Phulwari Sharif case: NIA searches over 20 locations in 3 states
In Bihar, the searches were conducted in nine districts, namely Nalanda, Katihar, Arariya, Madhubani, Patna, Vaishali, Darbhanga, Muzaffarpur and Saran, the statement said.
The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Thursday raided several locations in Bihar, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka in connection with its probe into Bihar’s Phulwari Sharif terror module case.
A statement issued by the federal agency said a total of 20 locations were raided across the three states.
In Bihar, the searches were conducted in nine districts, namely Nalanda, Katihar, Arariya, Madhubani, Patna, Vaishali, Darbhanga, Muzaffarpur and Saran, the statement said.
“Searches were also conducted today morning in Shiv Ganga district in Tamil Nadu and South Kannada district in Karnataka in the case pertaining to involvement of Popular Front of India (PFI) in anti-national activities,” it added.
The premises which were raided were linked to the accused and suspects in the matter. Incriminating materials, including digital devices and documents, were seized by the search teams, the NIA said.
The Phulwari Sharif terror case, allegedly linked to PFI, was unearthed by police in July with the arrest of five people who were reportedly planning “anti-India” activities, according to FIRs registered at Phulwarisharif police station in Patna.
In Bihar, an NIA official said, a total of 32 locations were raided by several teams of NIA and state police. The raid lasted for around five to six hours, the official said on condition of anonymity.
In the state’s Saran district, the NIA raided the house of a government school teacher Mohammad Parvez Alam in Rudalpur village, under Jalalpur police station, and seized his cell phone and a few incriminating documents, the official said. Parvez is reportedly an active member of PFI in the district and is also a named accused in the case.
In Vaishali, the house of SDPI district president Mohammad Reyaz Ahmad in Chehra-Kalan was raided; his family members were also interrogated, the official said.
The house of Mohammad Majrool Islam at Sakra locality in Muzaffarpur was also searched. The NIA seized a passbook from his sister-in-law, Jarina Khatoon, according to the official.
In Patna, the teams searched the houses of suspects and named accused in Milkiyana and Bhanpura localities.
In Nalanda, the teams conducted searches at SDPI state president Mohammad Shamim Akhtar’s residence, in Kasganj locality of Sohsarai police station, and also detained his younger brother, Mohammad Danish, for interrogation.
In a statement, PFI general secretary Anis Ahmed condemned the NIA raids. “The raid is the continuation of the harassment started by NIA in July in Bihar against the leaders and members of the organisation”, said Ahmed.
In Karnataka’s Dakshina Kannada, the team raided the house of SDPI leader Riyaz Farangipete. “...the NIA should be non-partial as the BJP is in power at the Centre and all these investigation agencies’ works are politically motivated,”he said.
On July 11, Patna Police picked up two persons, suspected to have links with the PFI, from Phulwari Sharif on a tip off that they were reportedly planning to create disturbances during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Patna the next day. They were later arrested on charges of conspiring and attempting to create animosity between religious groups.
On the orders of the Union home ministry, the NIA took over the case on July 28 and carried out raids in various parts of the state. Three more people were arrested and incriminating documents and digital devices were seized from their possession, officials had said earlier.
