New Delhi [India], April 25 : The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Tuesday conducted searches at 16 locations in four states in a 2022 anti-India criminal conspiracy case of Bihar, involving persons associated with the banned Popular Front of India (PFI).
"The places searched by the NIA include 12 in Bihar, two in Uttar Pradesh and one each in Punjab's Ludhiana and Goa," the agency said.
As part of its day-long operation, the NIA teams swooped down on the premises of the 16 suspected persons at multiple locations in Siwan, Sheohar, Muzaffarpur, Darbhanga, Katihar, Araria, Purnea and East Champaran districts of Bihar, South Goa district of Goa, Rampur and Bhadohi districts of Uttar Pradesh and Ludhiana district of Punjab.
In the operation, the anti-terror agency seized a hoard of digital devices, bank transaction details, and incriminating documents related to the PFI and Indian currency of the face value of Rs 1 lakh.
Thirteen persons have so far been arrested in the case related to the training of the PFI cadre in Phulwarisharif, Patna on July 6 and 7, 2022, along with certain other suspects.
A total of 60 locations have so far been searched for collecting credible evidence in the case, which was initially registered on July 12, 2022, at Phulwarisharif in Bihar's Patna district.
The case was later re-registered by the NIA on July 22, 2022. The agency filed a Chargesheet against four accused persons on January 7 this year.
"Investigations have revealed that the accused, along with other suspects, were operating from the rented premises in Phulwarisharif for carrying out criminal activities on behalf of the PFI," NIA said.
"They had also worked as physical education trainers for the recruited cadres of PFI. It is also suspected that even after the ban on PFI by the Government, its cadres continued to be involved in promoting the outfit's ideology and its nefarious, unlawful and anti-national activities," NIA added.
Further investigations in the case are in progress to expose the links between the 13 arrested accused and the 16 persons linked to the premises involved in today's searches, said the agency.
NIA further mentioned that efforts are also being made to trace any other suspects who may be involved in the case.
The NIA has been investigating the activities of the PFI, which was declared as an 'unlawful association' in September 2022.
The NIA investigation has found that despite the ban imposed on the PFI, the leaders and cadres of the outfit continued to propagate the ideology of violent extremism and were also arranging arms and ammunition to commit crimes.
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