A joint team of National Investigation Agency (NIA) and Bihar Police on Thursday conducted searches in various locations in the state, including in Patna, Nalanda, Darbhanga, Madhubani, Motihari and Araria, in connection with Phulwarisahrif case in which the Patna police had arrested alleged members of Popular Front of India (PFI) earlier this month, officials familiar with the matter said.
The NIA had registered the case under various sections of the Indian Penal Code and Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act on July 22, days after the Patna police arrested three people for their alleged links with the PFI and their plans to indulge in “anti-India” activities.
Later, NIA carried out searches in Jamia Maria Niswa Madrasa located in Bihar’s Purvi Champaran district and arrested a teacher, identified as Asghar Ali.
Earlier, on July 13, Mohammad Jalaluddin, a retired Jharkhand Police sub-inspector, and Athar Parvez were arrested from the Phulwarisharif area of Patna while Nuruddin Jangi was arrested three days later from Lucknow by Uttar Pradesh Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS) on the request of Bihar Police.
Bihar Police have arrested five persons in the Phulwarisharif case and have so far named 26 people.
In the raids carried out by the police in Phulwarisharif, many objectionable documents were allegedly recovered. One such document, titled ‘Vision 2047 India’, had documented ways to launch an armed attack on the Indian state by Muslims aided by Islamic nations like Turkey. Various pamphlets of PFI were also recovered by the police.
During the raids on Thursday, the NIA team searched the house in Phulwarisharif that Athar Parvez had rented and lived in. Parvez is allegedly a former member of the banned Students’ Islamic movement of India (SIMI).
The team also searches the houses of Armaan Mallik and retired sub-inspector Mohammad Jalaluddin.
In Darbhanga, NIA sleuths visited Singhwara locality, looking for one Mohammad Mustkin. The team also searched ancestral houses of PFI activists Mohammad Sanaullah Khan and Nurrudin Jangi, officials said.
In Nalanda, the NIA team carried out searches in areas under Laheri, Sohsarai and Bihar police stations, looking for suspects associated with the Socialist Democratic Party of India (SDPI).
In East Champaran, the team was looking for one Mohmmad Riyaz Maroof from Chakia, who is said to be state general secretary of PFI and master trainer of physical education.
