NIA arrests another accused from Rajasthan in PFI case

NEW DELHI:The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has arrested another accused from Rajasthan's Jaipur in continuation with its operations against Popular Front of India (PFI) cadres involved in conspiracies to commit violent and unlawful acts, the agency said on Saturday.

The suspect, identified as Mohammad Sohail, was arrested from Jaipur on Friday during a search operation conducted by the NIA sleuths in close coordination with state police forces.

Sohail is accused of having been actively involved in PFI's criminal conspiracy to disturb the peace and spread communal hatred and enmity, said the anti-terror agency.

A resident of Murshid Nagar in Rajasthan's Udaipur, the NIA said Sohail conspired to radicalize Muslim youth to commit violent and unlawful activities along with PFI cadres and members.

Earlier, the NIA had arrested two accused namely Sadiq Sarraf and Mohammed Asif in the case, which was initially registered on September 19 last year at NIA Headquarters, New Delhi.

The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) in September end last year banned the PFI, its associates, and affiliates for a period of five years under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967 by declaring it as an unlawful association.

The PFI cadres are also accused for their involvement in several terrorist acts and the murder of several persons, including Sanjith (Kerala, 2021), V-Ramalingam (Tamil Nadu, 2019), Nandu (Kerala, 2021), Abhimanyu (Kerala, 2018), Bibin (Kerala, 2017), Sharath (Kamataka, 2017), R Rudresh (Kamataka, 2016), Praveen Puyari (Karnataka, 2016), and Sasi Kumar (Tamil Nadu, 2016).

The PFI members in July 26 last year killed BJP's Yuva Morcha district committee member Praveen Nettaru in Bellare village of Sullia Taluk in Karnataka's Dakshina Kannada district.