PFI raids: NIA probes terror links; conducts searches across 8 states, multiple arrests made

The National Investigation Agency (NIA) and other agencies are carrying out another rounds of raids in locations associated with the Popular Front of India (PFI). The raids are being carried out in eight different states, while many members have also been detained. Reportedly, the NIA has received a lot of important information from the searches.

Paramilitary forces, along with teams of Delhi Police Special Cell, conducted raids in Delhi’s Shaheen Bagh and Jamia. Around 30 people have been arrested in these raids, and four people detained from North-east Delhi.  

Meanwhile, Maharashtra police detained six PFI supporters in Pune for questioning on the alleged funding. The raids, here too, were conducted in coordination with ATS and NIA.

As many as 60 PFI members were picked up under ‘preventive custody’ in Karnataka. The NIA will seek judicial custody. The arrests were made under the Preventive Action Report (PAR) as these members had stopped NIA personnel or protested against the raids.

Around 21 PFI members from Madhya Pradesh, and 10 from Lucknow were detained for questioning, while 21 from eight districts of Assam were arrested by the NIA.

The Maharashtra ATS on Monday had told a court that it wanted to probe the links of the five of the accused arrested during raids on the PFI with organisations including Al Qaeda, and the Islamic State and also investigate the electronic evidence. The ATS said it recovered some literature and a book titled 'Who Killed Karkare' from one of the accused and seized his laptop and phone.

Also read: PFI raids: NIA, ED searches multiple locations; 100 members arrested

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