Phulwari Sharif PFI case: NIA arrests 2 persons after multiple raids

NEW DELHI: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Sunday arrested two persons from Bihar's Motihari district in connection with its ongoing probe into the Phulwari Sharif terror module case linked to the Popular Front of India (PFI) conspiracy.

The arrests were made after the probe agency conducted raids at eight locations to disrupt a conspiracy hatched by PFI cadres to carry out targeted killing in East Champaran District in Bihar on February 4.

The arrested persons were identified as Tanveer Raza alias Barkati and Md Abid alias Aryan, both residents of the East Champaran district. As per the NIA, the accused had arranged weapons and ammunition to carry out the targeted killings.

"NIA has arrested two accused today who had arranged weapons and ammunition to carry out the killing. Recce had already been conducted to execute a target," the NIA said in a statement.

"The arms and ammunition had been handed over to a PFI Trainer, Yakoob, who had been conducting Training Sessions for PFI cadres," the NIA added.

A few days ago, Yakoob, the PFI trainer, had posted a derogatory and inflammatory Facebook video post, which was aimed at disturbing peace and communal harmony.

Other users of Facebook had commented and trolled this post abusively.

The absconding accused Yakoob and two arrested accused had identified some of them and had conspired to execute the killing the of targeted person.

"The raids and arrests were made in NIA case, which pertains to the involvement of PFI and its leaders and cadres in violent and unlawful activities, who had assembled for that purpose in the Phulwari Sharif area of Patna," the NIA added.

The case was initially registered on July 12, 2022, at PS Phulwari Sharif and re-registered by NIA on July 22, 2022.

"With these arrests, a PFI module planning targeted killing and disrupting communal harmony has been unearthed and busted," the agency said.

Earlier, four persons were arrested and several incriminating articles and documents related to PFI were seized in the instant case. During the searches conducted on Saturday, multiple digital devices were seized. Further investigations in the case are in progress. (