NIA searches PFI member’s premises in Katihar

Katihar (Bihar), May 31 (PTI) The NIA on Wednesday searched the premises of a person allegedly linked to the banned Popular Front of India (PFI) in Bihar’s Katihar district in connection with its probe into the Phulwari Sharif terror module case, sources in the agency said.

Sleuths of the federal anti-terror agency searched the premises of Mahboob Alam at Mujzaffar Tola and seized several documents, the sources said.

The seized documents documents are being analysed, they said.

The searches began around 6 a m and continued for a few hours. It is believed that some relatives of Alam were interrogated by the NIA during the time
The NIA sleuths were assisted by the district police personnel during the searches.
The NIA had earlier conducted searches at 16 locations in Goa, Punjab, Bihar and Uttar Pradesh as part of its investigation into the Phulwari Sharif terror module case linked to the banned PFI in April.

Searches were also conducted in Siwan, Sheohar, Muzaffarpur, Darbhanga, Katihar, Araria, Purnea and East Champaran districts of Bihar last month.

The terror module was unearthed by Bihar Police after the arrest of three people for their alleged links with PFI and their plans to indulge in “anti-India” activities in July last year. A retired Jharkhand Police officer and another person were arrested on July 13 from Phulwari Sharif in Patna, while another person was arrested three days later from Lucknow by Uttar Pradesh ATS on the request of Bihar Police.

The two men, who had links with the PFI, were allegedly teaching locals how to use swords and knives and also instigating them for communal violence.

The chargesheet in the case was filed by NIA in January against four accused.