NIA TAKES OVER PFI MODULE BUST CASE FROM BIHAR POLICE

The National Investigating Agency (NIA) on Friday took over the investigation into Popular Front of India (PFI) module bust case from Bihar Police. Well-placed sources in the Union Ministry of Home Affairs told that the anti-terror agency will now take forward the investigation into the case.

Speaking to The Daily Guardian, sources close to the investigations said that the NIA will also take possession of the complete case diary of the case from Bihar Police. The Enforcement Directorate has also begun investigation into the case after Bihar Police found the accused had received funds worth Rs. 90 lakh through hawala.

Bihar Police on 13 July had busted a potential terror module with links to the Kerala-based Islamic extremist outfit PFI and arrested Mohammad Jallauddin, a retired police officer of Jharkhand, Athar Parvez and Arman Malik from Phulwari Sharif area of Patna. Their interrogation led to Ahmed Danish, who was arrested on Friday from Patna. The investigators have arrested five accused in the case.

Top sources in Bihar Police said that the accused Danish alias Tahir was also associated with another WhatsApp group named Danish Alfalahi, which had people from Indo-Nepal madrasas. Investigators have also retrieved some phone numbers of people associated with Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence from Danish’s mobile phone set.

After interrogation of the accused, it has also come to the knowledge of the investigators that Athar Parvez had called for a protest in Patna on 12 July in support of activist Teesta Setalvad. However, the protest did not materialise as Prime Minister Narendra Modi was on a visit to Patna on the same day. Two suspects were arrested a day before the visit.