The NIA remand copy presented before a special court in Kerala reveals that the Popular Front of India (PFI), its office bearers, members, and affiliates in Kerala encouraged vulnerable youths to join terrorist organisations like Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) or Daesh, and Al-Qaida and also conspired to establish Islamic rule in India by committing a terrorist act.
The Central agency also accused the PFI's members and cadres operating from Kerala to conspire to indulge in "unlawful activities by creating enmity between members of different religions and groups, prejudicial to maintenance of harmony, with the intention to disrupt public tranquillity and cause disaffection against India".
The revelations were made in an application for judicial remand of the accused Karamana Ashraf Moulavi, national in-charge of PFI's Education Wing, and others. The case is being investigated by the NIA's Kochi branch.
"The brief facts of the case is that the Popular Front of India (PFI), its office bearers, members and affiliates in Kerala have conspired to indulge in Unlawful Activities, by creating enmity between members of different religions and groups, prejudicial to maintenance of harmony, with an intention to disrupt public tranquillity and cause disaffection against India, propagating alternative justice delivery system justifying the use of criminal force causing alarm and fear amongst the general public, encourages vulnerable youths to join terrorist organisation including Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS)/Daesh and Al-Qaida and also conspired to establish Islamic rule in India by committing a terrorist act as a part of violent jihad," reads the remand copy.
As per NIA, the PFI also spreads "dis-affection against India by wrongful interpretation of government policies to the particular section of people to create hatred against the state and its machineries".
The Ministry of Home Affairs' Counter Terrorism and Counter Radicalization (CTCR) division issued an order dated September 16 directing the agency to look into the incident due to the nature and seriousness of the offence, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) later stated.
Accordingly, the NIA registered the case at its Kochi branch on September 19 under sections 120B and 153A of IPC, Section 13, 18, 18B, 38 and 39 of Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act against PFI and 13 others namely-- Karamana Ashraf Moulavi, Abdul Sathar (State General Secretary, PFI, Kerala), Sadiq Ahmed (District Secretary, PFI, Pathanamthitta), Shihas (Zonal Secretary, PFI), Ansari P (Joint Convener, PFI, Nadakkal Division), M M Mujeeb (Divisional Convener, PFl Nadackal Erattupetta Division), Najumudeen (Divisional Convener, PFI Mundakkayam), Sainuddeen T S (District Secretary, PFI, Kottayam), P K Usman alias Pallikkaranjalil Kunjippu Usman alias Usman Perumpilavu (Member, NGA, PFI), Yahiya Koya Thangal (State Executive Council member, PFI, Kerala), C A Rauf (State Secretary, Media and PR wings, PFI, Kerala), K Muhammedali alias Kunhappo (National in-charge, Expansion wing, PFI), and CT Sulaiman (District President, PFI Kasaragod).
During the investigation, the NIA further mentions in the copy, "reliable information has been received that, some important documents, digital devices and articles which are evidence for the purpose of investigation and prosecution of the case and which will lead to unraveling the larger conspiracy behind the crime and also to identify and secure other suspects involved in the crime, are available in the various places including the houses/offices and other places related to all the accused named in the FIR, the organisation PFI and suspects in this case".
Accordingly, searches were carried out at the residential locations of all the FIR named accused as well as the offices of Popular Front of India on September 22 after obtaining a search warrant under section 93 CrPC from the special court in Kerala, according to the NIA, and numerous items and documents were seized.
"The seized documents also contain highly incriminating materials related to the targeting of prominent leaders of a particular community," mentions the document accessed by ANI.
"The hit list seized clearly shows that the PFI, which is working through its leaders, members and associates have gone far ahead in creating atrocities among the community," added the agency.
Citing these inputs, the NIA went on to inform the court that additional research is needed in this area, not just to gather more information but also to stop societal bloodbaths.
During the investigation, based on the materials collected, the NIA further said, it has been disclosed that the "accused named in the FIR were actively involved in the organized crimes and Unlawful Activities repeatedly to terrorise other religious sections of the society besides creating fear in the mind of the general public based on the larger conspiracy hatched among themselves and others".
"The initial scrutiny of the materials collected and investigation conducted, also points out the incriminating roles played by the accused in this case. A detailed probe is required to be conducted against each accused on their role and overt activities and more evidence have to be collected."
NIA conducts raids at 93 locations
The information was made public as 106 PFI leaders, cadres, and others were detained on Thursday during searches conducted by the NIA, ED, and state police agencies across India. Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Telengana, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan, Delhi, Assam, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Goa, West Bengal, Bihar, and Manipur were among the 15 states where the NIA conducted searches in 93 locations.
Following persistent input and evidence that the PFI leaders and cadres were involved in funding terrorism and terrorist activities, organising training camps for providing armed training, and radicalising people to join prohibited organisations, the NIA registered five cases in connection with these searches at the homes and offices of the top PFI leaders and members.
