The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Thursday morning conducted raids at multiple locations in Bihar in connection with the Phulwari Sharif case having links with the extremist outfit Popular Front of India (PFI).

Reports say that all these places where raids are being carried out belong to people associated with the Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI).

According to the sources, as part of the raid being conducted for the last three hours, many people have been taken into custody so far. Heavy security has been deployed in the area.

The NIA registered the case on July 22 night under various sections of the Indian Penal Code and Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act following an order issued by the Counter Terrorism and Counter Radicalisation division of the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) directing the agency to take over the investigation from Bihar Police.

The Bihar Police recently unearthed a "terror module" and arrested three people for their alleged links with the extremist organisation PFI and their plans to indulge in "anti-India" activities.

Mohammad Jallauddin, a retired Jharkhand Police officer, and Athar Parvez were arrested on July 13 from the Phulwari Sharif area of state capital Patna while Nuruddin Jangi was arrested three days later from Lucknow by Uttar Pradesh ATS, on the request of Bihar Police.

According to police, the accused were teaching locals how to use swords and knives and also instigating them for communal violence.

“They were teaching locals how to use swords and knives and also instigating them for communal violence. An investigation has revealed that people from other states were visiting them in Patna. Those visitors used to change their names while staying in hotels in the Bihar capital to conceal their identities,” Phulwari Sharif Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Manish Kumar had said.

Police had recovered two pamphlets written in English -- India 2047: Towards rule of Islamic India and Popular Front of India, 20 February, 2021 after searches were conducted against Jalaluddin and Parvez.

'Vision 2047 India' had documented ways to launch an armed attack on the Indian State by Indian Muslims aided by Islamic nations like Turkey.

“An excerpt from an eight-page long document they shared amongst themselves titled 'India vision 2047' says, 'PFI confident that even if 10 percent of total Muslim population rally behind it, PFI would subjugate coward majority community and bring back the glory',” the ASP added.

The Enforcement Directorate has also launched a money laundering probe against PFI in the case.

Image source: HT