Yesterday, the anti-terror agency conducted searches at nine locations in Rajasthan in the Popular Front of India (PFI) conspiracy case.
The NIA searched four places each in Jaipur and Kota, and one in Sawai Madhopur districts in Rajasthan.
The case is related to secret information received from reliable sources. Sadiq Sarraf, a resident of Shyopuriyon Ki Masjid in Baran district of Rajasthan, and Mohammed Asif, a resident of Retipada in Kota, of PFI along with officer bearers and members of the banned outfit are indulging in unlawful activities, news agency NAI reported.
NIA reportedly said the two accused through their provocative utterances and activities were encouraging violence, enmity, and hatred among different religious groups in India.
Their inflammatory speeches and lectures on various platforms inciting and disrupting the sovereignty and territorial integrity of India, the agency said.
In pursuance to conspiracy, accused Sadiq Sarraf and Mohammad Asif and unknown others are radicalizing Muslim youths to commit unlawful activities and terrorist acts in various parts of India, including the State of Rajasthan, said the agency.
Recently, Delhi declined bail to three members of the banned Popular Front of India accused in a money laundering case related to alleged terrorist activities.
The accused were arrested on September 22, 2022, and are currently in judicial custody. The ED filed the complaint against them on November 19, 2022.
"Evidently, the (prosecution) complaint (ED’s equivalent of a charge sheet) was filed within 60 days of the arrest of the accused," the judge noted while declining bail to them.
The counsel for the accused told the court since no prosecution complaint or related documents were supplied to the accused within the outer limit period of 60 days, in law complaint was not filed within the time frame and the accused had “indefeasible right" to be released on bail.
ED’s Special Public Prosecutor N K Matta opposed the bail application, saying the charge sheet was filed in time and the accused had no right to be released on bail.
He said the ED carrying out further investigation on certain other facets of the case did not mean that the charge sheet was incomplete.
