Court extends custodial interrogation of 19 PFI members for five days

NEW DELHI: A court here on Monday extended the custodial interrogation of 19 activists of the Popular Front of India arrested in a multi-agency operation led by the National Investigation Agency for five days.

Special Judge Shailender Malik passed the order after the probe agency produced the 19 accused before the court and sought an extension of their custody.

The court had on September 22 sent 18 PFI activists to four days custodial interrogation, while another accused arrested from Bengaluru was produced before the court and sent for three days NIA custody the next day.

During the last hearing, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) told the court that the probe was at a preliminary stage and further remand might be needed later.

It further said that the investigation was sensitive in nature and more people were likely to be identified during the course of the probe.

In near-simultaneous raids across the length and breadth of the country, a multi-agency operation spearheaded by the NIA on September 22 led to the arrest of 106 activists of the Popular Front of India (PFI) in 11 states for allegedly supporting terror activities in the country.