NIA arrests three members of banned PFI in Bihar; recovers 'incriminating' documents

PATNA: National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Saturday picked up three suspects from Bihar's East Champaran district. The suspects stated to be residents of the Chakia police station area in East Champaran were associated with the outlawed terror outfit, Popular Front of India (PFI).

East Champaran superintendent of police Kantesh Mishra said the district police cooperated with NIA in search operations only.

“We have nothing to do with the investigation being conducted by the central agency,” SP Mishra said, adding that suspects were taken to an undisclosed location for interrogation.

Sources said that Riyan, a resident of Kuawan village under Chakia police station in East Champaran district, was closely associated with the terror module of Phulwarisharif (Patna), which was unearthed last year.

He is still at large, sources said. The NIA team also conducted a raid at Riyaz's house. “Riyaz's ancestral house was also searched by NIA last year. Several incriminating documents were recovered from his house during the search operation,” said a police officer posted at Chakia police station.

Four members of PFI were arrested from Phulwarisharif during a raid conducted by Patna police following intelligence inputs from the central investigating agency in July last year. Documents related to PFI's conspiracy to turn India into an Islamic country by 2047 were also recovered during the raid.

The case was later handed over to NIA, which started its probe. In January this year, NIA filed a chargesheet against the four accused before the NIA special court of Patna.

They were booked on charges of hatching a criminal conspiracy with intent to carry out acts of terror and violence, leading to an atmosphere of terror and endangering the unity and integrity of the nation.