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The Delhi High Court on Friday issued a notice to the National Investigation Agency in response to an appeal filed by Afsar Pasha, a national secretary of the Popular Front of India and an accused in a terror case.
His previous bail plea had been rejected by the special NIA Court in November 2024.
A division bench comprising Justices Prathiba M. Singh and Rajneesh Kumar Gupta sought a response from the NIA within three weeks. Additionally, the court granted the appellant’s counsel two weeks to file a rejoinder thereafter.
Special public prosecutor Rahul Tyagi, representing the NIA, accepted the notice, and the matter has been scheduled for further hearing on May 6.
Afsar Pasha has appealed through advocate Saipan Dastgir Shaikh, challenging the order issued on November 30, 2024.
NIA had registered a case against PFI office bearers and members in November 2022 under multiple sections of the IPC and the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967, at the NIA Police Station in New Delhi.
The case pertains to an alleged criminal conspiracy involving the collection of funds both domestically and internationally to finance terrorist activities across India. As part of the investigation, the NIA conducted searches at 39 locations in ten states, including PFI offices.
A total of 432 incriminating documents and digital devices were seized and subsequently sent for forensic examination.
Nineteen individuals were arrested on September 22, 2022, including OMA Salam alias O.M. Abdul Salam, E.M. Abdul Rahiman alias E.M., Anis Ahmed, Afsar Pasha, V.P. Nazarudheen Elamaram alias Nazaruddin Elamaram, E. Abubakar, Prof. P. Koya alias Kaleem Koya, M. Mohammed Ali Jinnah, Abdul Wahid Sait, A.S. Ismail alias Appamma Ismail, Advocate Mohammed Yousuf, Mohammed Basheer, Shafeer K.P., Jaseer K.P., Shahid Nasir, Waseem Ahmad, Mohammed Shakif, Mohammed Farooq Rehaman alias Muhammed Farooq Ur Rahman, and Yasir Hasan alias Yasir Arafat Hasan alias Yasin.
During the investigation, social media analysis of the accused individuals’ online activities indicated their involvement in unlawful activities. Additionally, financial records revealed payments to individuals engaged in such activities. Notably, Ansad Badrudeen, an accused in a case registered at PS ATS Gomti Nagar, Lucknow, had received payments from the PFI leadership.
Further scrutiny of bank transactions indicated periodic disbursements to individuals providing arms training, with some trainees being inducted into PFI’s service teams. These teams were allegedly responsible for providing security to senior PFI members and identifying members of RSS and BJP for targeted attacks.
According to the NIA, statements from eight protected witnesses have been recorded under Sections 161 and 164 of the CrPC. These statements suggest that the PFI’s ultimate objective was to establish Islamic rule in India by 2047 through violent means, under the guise of Gazwa-e-Hind.
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