The ATS produced the accused before the court of additional sessions judge A M Patil on Monday on the expiry of their previous remand, and sought their custody for eight more days. However, after hearing the arguments of both sides, the court extended their remand by five days.
The five accused were among 20 people apprehended in the state by the Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) in multi-agency raids across the country spearheaded by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) on September 22.
The accused have been booked on the charges of engaging in unlawful activities, promoting enmity among communities and waging a war against the country. In a massive crackdown on the PFI, multi-agency teams had arrested 106 leaders and activists of the radical Islamic outfit in near-simultaneous raids in 15 states for allegedly supporting terror activities in the country. Maharashtra and Karnataka accounted for 20 arrests each, followed by Tamil Nadu with 10, Assam 9, Uttar Pradesh 8, Andhra Pradesh 5, Madhya Pradesh 4, three each in Puducherry and Delhi and two in Rajasthan.
Special Court sends PFI Kerala leader to 5 days of NIA custody
Meanwhile, a special National Investigation Agency (NIA) Court in Kochi sent Abdul Sathar, a Popular Front of India (PFI) leader to five days of NIA custody for interrogation.
NIA sought 7 days of custody, but the Court granted only five days.
NIA informed the Court that it needs to probe the foreign funding of PFI.
Earlier the Court sent him to judicial custody till October 20, but the NIA sought his custody on Friday and the Court granted it today.
Sathar, the State General Secretary before the PFI was dissolved is the third accused in the case of UAPA which the NIA has been registered after the ban. He was arrested on last week by the NIA from Karunagappalli in the Kollam district.
Last week, the Court sent 11 other PFI leaders to 21 days of judicial custody till October 20.
The PFI workers, who were booked under UAPA and arrested by NIA last month from different locations in Kerala were presented by the NIA in the Court after their seven days of custody came to an end on September 30.
The accused who were sent to judicial custody are, Karamana Ashraf Moulavi (National in-charge, Education wing of PFI), Sadiq Ahmed (PFI Pathanamthitta District Secretary, Shihas (PFI Zonal secretary), Ansari P, MM Mujeeb, Najumudeen, Sainudeen TS (PFI Kottayam District Secretary), PK Usman, Yahiya Koya (PFI State Executive Member), K Muhammedali (National in-charge, Expansion wing of PFI), and CT Sulaiman (District President of Kasargod).
In a major breakthrough linked to the largest-ever action against the Popular Front of India (PFI), the Central investigating agencies have found inputs against the outfit for "organizing a training camp with an intent to cause disturbance during Prime Minster Narendra Modi's visit in Bihar's capital Patna on July 12 this year".
*With inputs from agencies
