Delhi HC asks NIA to respond to plea for FIR copy against PFI members

The Delhi High Court sought the NIA's response on a plea seeking the copy of FIR registered against alleged members of the banned Popular Front of India (PFI) in a case lodged under UAPA.

Justice Anoop Kumar Mendiratta issued the notice to the National Investigation Agency (NIA) on a petition filed by one Mohd Yusuff, who was arrested from his residence in Chennai on September 22 in the case lodged under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act. The high court has listed the matter for further hearing on October 10.

According to the report of PTI, petitioner Yusuff, who claims to be a practising advocate, sought direction to the NIA to provide him a copy of the FIR lodged by the agency on April 13 and also to provide a copy of the grounds of arrest of each accused person in connection with the case. He also sought a copy of the remand applications filed by the NIA before a trial court.

“At the time of his arrest, the respondent (NIA) did not communicate to the petitioner any particulars of the offence for which he has been arrested or any grounds of such arrest in clear violation of the statutory mandate provided under Section 50 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) read with Article 22(1) of the Constitution,” the plea submitted.

It said when the accused were produced before a trial court here, their counsel sought for a copy of the FIR on September 22 as well as on September 26. However, the additional sessions judge (ASJ) denied the application filed by the petitioner on grounds that the matter is of a sensitive nature and that providing a copy of the FIR would hamper the investigation, the petitioner submitted.