CHENNAI: A division bench of the Madras HC has granted conditional bail to eight men belonging to the banned Popular Front of India arrested under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act in Tamil Nadu.
The bench consisting of Justices SS Sundar and Sunder Mohan granted the relief to Barakathullah, Idris alias MA Ahmed Idris, Mohamed Abuthahir, Khalid Mohammed, Syed Ishaq, Khaja Mohaideen, Yassar Arafath and Fayaz Ahmed.
Allowing the appeals filed against the order of the special court under the National Investigation Agency Act, 2008, the bench said it finds no material for believing that the accusations against the appellants for alleged commission of offences under UAPA are prima facie true. It also said materials produced by NIA do not show the involvement of the men in any terrorist act.
The NIA registered FIRs against 13 persons, including eight men, under various sections of IPC and UAPA at the NIA police station in New Delhi. They were accused of hatching a conspiracy to unleash terrorist acts against perceived anti-Islamic forces of other religions.
They were arrested on September 22, 2022 and searches were held on their premises. Since the special court had dismissed their bail applications, they filed an appeal in the high court. Senior counsel T Mohan and advocate I Abdul Basith appeared for the PFI men while Additional Solicitor General (ASG) AR L Sundaresan represented the NIA.