NIA arrests 13th accused in Phulwari Sharif PFI case

New Delhi: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Sunday said that they have arrested an accused, Md Irshad Alam of Mehsi in Bihar's East Champaran in connection with the Phulwari Sharif PFI case.

The NIA said that they found that despite the ban on the PFI imposed on September 27, 2022, the PFI leaders continued to propagate the ideology of violent extremism and were also arranging arms and ammunition to commit crimes.

The case was registered in July 2022 when four accused were arrested as they gathered in the Phulwari Sharif area of Patna for training and to carry out acts of terror and violence. Three more were arrested in February this year.

PFI cadres in Phulwari Sharif and Motihari had vowed to continue PFI activities in a clandestine manner in Bihar and had also arranged a firearm and ammunition recently to eliminate a youth of a particular community in Bihar's East Champaran district.

"Alam, who has been arrested yesterday, was in close association with accused Yakub Khan alias Usman alias Sultan, a Physical Education Trainer of PFI. Accused Yakoob Khan had posted incriminating videos on social media to spread communal flare-up. Subsequently Yakoob, along with Md Irshad Alam and other associates, had planned to execute a targeted killing. Reece was conducted with the help of Irshad to carry out the attack. A firearm and ammunition were also arranged by Yakoob Khan with the help of other arrested accused," the official said.

The official said that as of now they have arrested 13 accused in this connection. Earlier, in January this year, the agency filed a charge sheet against four accused persons.