Investigations into the Popular Front of India (PFI) module bust case have revealed that the PFI module had over 15 camps operating in areas close to the Nepal border. According to top police officials close to the investigations, the PFI targeted uneducated and unemployed youth in Mithilanchal and Seemanchal areas of Bihar to brainwash and recruit them for training in these camps. Most of the districts in these areas are close to the Nepal border and are backward in terms of development.
With investigators finding evidence of international links of the main accused Ahmed Danish arrested in the case, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) is likely to take over investigations from the Bihar ATS. According to top police officials in Patna investigating the case, all central intelligence agencies, including the NIA, the Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) and Intelligence Bureau (IB), are on high alert. The NIA is already in Bihar, so are RAW and IB. All three agencies had a meeting with Bihar Police officials on Sunday.
Investigations conducted so far have revealed that the PFI had targeted Mithilanchal and Seemanchal areas of Bihar. Most of the districts in these areas are close to the Nepal border and are backward in terms of development. Sources close to the investigations told The Daily Guardian that the PFI module had over 15 camps operating in Purnia, Katihar, Araria, Farbesganj, Kishanganj, Darbhanga, Madhubani, Saharsa,
Supaul, Madhepura, Motihari, Muzaffarpur and Bhagalpur.
Bihar Police on 13 July had claimed to have busted a potential terror module with links to the extremist outfit PFI and arrested Mohammad Jallauddin, a retired police officer of Jharkhand, Athar Parvez and Arman Malik from Phulwari Sharif area of Patna. Their interrogation led the investigators to Danish, who was arrested on Friday from Patna by ATS. So far, five accused have been arrested by the police in the case.
According to sources, Parvez and Malik have made many revelations during their interrogation. The PFI module used to target unemployed and uneducated youth and after brainwashing them recruited the youth for training in unlawful activities against India. Investigators have also come to know funding of Rs. 90 lakh that PFI operatives received through hawala. Parvez and Malik are in police remand.
The ATS of Bihar Police had arrested Danish alias Tahir on Friday from Patna, and the state anti-terror agency is soon going to seek his remand for interrogation. During the course of interrogation, Danish has revealed that he was planning terror and destructive activities in the country.
Investigators have retrieved highly sensitive information from Danish’s mobile phone set. Danish allegedly operated Gazwa-e-Hind, a group on WhatsApp, linked to a Pakistani national Faizan, with around 181 persons from Islamic countries as its members. Gazwa-e-Hind carried an icon showing Pak flag on India’s map. Danish is alleged to have been very active in many districts of North Bihar and investigators are trying to track down more than 26 persons he was in contact with.
According to police officials, Danish was in regular touch with his Pakistani handler Faizan, who is suspected to have links with Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan, a far-right Islamic political party from across the border. Both Danish and Faizan were admin of their group on WhatsApp and had members from Bangladesh, Pakistan and Yemen. Gazwa-e-Hind was used by its members to post anti-India videos and content including photographs. The chats retrieved from the Gazwa-e-Hind also talk of a big conclave of extremist elements from across Bangladesh, Yemen and Arab countries to be held in Bihar sometime in 2023.
The police also recovered an internal document after the arrests were made in the case, which talks of “rule of Islam in India”. Manish Kumar, ASP, Phulwari Sharif in Patna, on Wednesday had told the media that the eight-page-long document “India vision 2047” talks about “subjugating coward majority community and bringing back the glory”.