PATNA: National Investigation Agency (NIA) has finally taken over investigation into Bihar's Phulwarisharif terror module case following a directive of union home ministry late on Friday.
A team of the country's premier agency is already cooperating with Bihar's Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) and Patna police in probe. “Legal formalities are being completed to hand over terror module caste to NIA,” a senior official of Bihar police said.
Terror module came into light following arrest of three suspects—Athar Parvez, Mohammad Jalauddin and Arman Malik—from Phulwarisharif area of Patna on July 11, a day before Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to participate in centenary celebration of Bihar Assembly building.
Till date, seven people have been arrested and forwarded to jail for their alleged involvement in carrying out anti-India activities. A senior official associated with investigation said that anti-nation activities were run from Ahmad Palace at Phulwarisharif in Patna.
Ahmad Palace was being used as office of Popular Front of India (PFI), which is considered to be part of a 'potential terror module' that sought to target those 'who made adverse and objectionable' comments against Islam. Athar Parvez was earlier associated with Students' Islamic Movement of India (SIMI), which is now a banned organisation while Mohammad Jalauddin is a retired sub-inspector of Jharkhand police. The two were arrested following a tip-off from Intelligence Bureau (IB) about their activities.
Before the police started operation, an FIR was lodged against 26 people, stated to be a 'part of potential terror module' at Phulwarisharif police station. The accused were booked under sections 121 and 121A (waging war against state), 153 A (promoting enmity between different groups, 153B( imputations, assertions prejudicial to national integration) besides sections 120 B (criminal conspiracy) of Indian Penal Code (IPC).
After the arrest of trio—Athar, Jalauddin and Arman—all residents of Patna, Patna senior superintendent of police (SSP) Manavjeet Singh Dhillon had said that the accused were holding meetings at mosques and madarsas and working towards what is called radicalisation. SSP's remarks had invited wrath of some BJP
leaders who demanded action against him.