NIA takes custody of duo after raids on PFI

Jaipur: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has taken custody of Mohammad Asif (42) and Sadiq Sarraf (52), arrested on Thursday following a nationwide crackdown on the Popular Front of India (PFI).
As per the agency, both Asif and Sarraf were taken into the custody on Thursday and will remain in the custody till September 27.
Sarraf is a resident of Talabpada under the Kotwali police station area of the Baran district. On the other hand, Asif is a native of Kota.
Both were arrested following coordinated searches in 93 locations of 15 states of India. These searches were conducted at the houses and offices of the top PFI leaders and members.
Sources said that Asif was picked from Kerala, but a team had searched his premises in Kota.
In Jaipur, a team of as many as 25 NIA officials, backed by nearly 100 paramilitary forces personnel, searched the PFI office located on Moti Doongri Road at 3.30am. The team searches the office and left around 8 am.
The NIA’s action sparked protests after several workers protested the agency claimed that the PFI’s activities are related to raise awareness amongst minorities and take up their social issues.
The NIA had also seized documents, and digital devices during the search operation for further investigation to examine the outfit’s activities in Rajasthan, and its financial set up.
The investigators are also likely to examine the past activities of the PFI and it’s possible offshoots.
Different teams of the NIA, backed by the paramilitary forces conducted the operation in three districts following a complete assessment of the local situations. For instance, the police personnel had cordoned off the nearby streets of the PFI office in Jaipur. The NIA had on Thursday also alerted the Lal Kothi police station.