NIA attaches two floors of school building in Pune used by PFI for radicalisation and training of Muslim youth

Pune, Maharashtra: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has attached the 4th and 5th floors of the Blue Bell School Building in Pune, Maharashtra, where the Popular Front of India (PFI) had been organizing camps to radicalise and indoctrinate Muslim youth. The NIA has taken this action as part of their investigation into a case registered on April 13, 2022, with FIR No. RC-14/2022/NIA/DLI.

According to the NIA, the PFI was using these floors to plan and prepare for carrying out terrorist activities with the aim of endangering the unity, integrity, and security of India. The PFI was allegedly recruiting innocent Muslim youth into the outfit at these premises and providing them with armed and unarmed training to carry out targeted killings and attacks against leaders and organizations of a particular community. The ultimate goal was stated to be the establishment of Islamic Rule in India by 2047.

The NIA had conducted a search of the two floors of the school premises on September 22 of the previous year, during which incriminating documents were seized. These documents revealed that the property was being used by the accused, who were found to be associated with the PFI, for organizing arms training for its members. The training camps were allegedly used to incite innocent Muslim youth against the government, as well as leaders and organizations of a particular community, and to provoke them into embracing violent jihad.

Further investigations by the NIA had revealed that the accused persons were part of a criminal conspiracy to establish a Caliphate and Islamic Rule in India by waging war against the country and toppling the democratically elected government. They were identified as senior PFI cadres/NEC Members/Accountant(s)/Authorized signatories of PFI’s bank accounts.

The NIA had filed a charge-sheet on March 18, 2023, before the NIA Special Court in Delhi against 20 accused, including the PFI as an organization. As part of the investigation, the two floors of the school building have been attached by the NIA as ‘proceeds of terrorism’ under the provisions of the UA (P) Act, 1967.

The PFI had been declared an ‘unlawful association’ by the government in September 2022. The NIA’s investigations are ongoing, and further efforts are being made to uncover the roles of other accused persons/suspects in the case. The attachment of the school building floors highlights the NIA’s determination to crack down on radicalization and terrorist activities, particularly those targeting innocent youth.