Kerala-based syndicate among key players in Dubai funds channelled to PFI: NIA

New Delhi: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has arrested Mohammad Sajjad Alam, a cadre of the banned Popular Front of India (PFI), for channeling funds from Dubai to further the organisation's unlawful activities in India. The arrest was made at the Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport on Saturday, as Alam arrived from Dubai, UAE.

Alam, hailing from East Champaran in Bihar, was arrested after an arrest warrant was issued against him by a special NIA court. The agency had also issued a lookout circular (LOC) to track his movements. According to the NIA, Alam facilitated the illegal transfer of funds to PFI cadres in Bihar through a syndicate based in the UAE, Karnataka, and Kerala. These funds were used to promote the group's criminal activities.

Details of the case

This case, originally filed by Phulwari Sharif police in Bihar in July 2022, focuses on PFI cadres' involvement in anti-national activities. The NIA has charged 17 individuals previously, and Alam becomes the 18th accused to be arrested. The investigation reveals that the group plotted to create terror and sow religious discord to disrupt India's public peace and harmony. Their activities aimed at fostering a vision of establishing Islamic rule in India, as outlined in the PFI's internal document, "India 2047: Towards Rule of Islam in India."

The NIA took over the investigation soon after it was initiated by local police, leading to a series of arrests in the case.

With PTI inputs