New Delhi [India], June 5 (ANI): The Special NIA court at Patiala House on Friday framed charges against Popular Front of India (PFI) and its 20 office bearers including founding chairman E Abubakar, chairman OMA Salam under criminal Conspiracy, waging war against country, and offences including raising funds for terror organisation, Conspiracy for terror activities, organising terror camps and recruitment for terror activities under UAPA.

These PFI leaders were arrested in September 2022 in a nationwide crackdown by the NIA. The action was taken after the Central Government had declared PFI as an unlawful organisation.

Special Judge (NIA) Prashant Sharma directed to frame the charges under the Indian Penal Code and Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act against the accused persons after finding sufficient material on record.

'Considered as a whole, the material on record raises grave suspicion that the accused, acting through and on behalf of the Popular Front of India and its National Executive Council (NEC), agreed and acted in furtherance of a single conspiracy to overthrow the secular democratic Government of India and to establish an Islamic Caliphate under Sharia law in India by or before the year 2047 through an armed struggle against the State,' the court said on June 5.

The NIA had registered an FIR on April 13, 2022 at New Delhi, for the offences punishable under sections 120-B and 153-A of the Indian Penal Code, 1860, and under sections 17, 18, 18-B, 20, 22-B, 38 and 39 of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967, in compliance with the order of the Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India, directing the National Investigation Agency to take up the investigation.

The formal charges will be framed on July 10. All the accused are directed to be produced physically on the next date.

The investigation agency had arrested several top leaders of the PFI. After the completion of the investigation, the charge sheet and supplementary charge sheets were filed.

Special Public Prosecutor (SPP) Rahul Tyagi alongwith assisting Public Prosecutor Vikas Walia, Jatin Khatri, Amit Rohilla, and Shubham Goyal for the NIA, alleged that the PFI and leaders were planning to overthrow the government.

It is also alleged that the accused persons were radicalising the youth and promoting enmity between communities, and senior RSS and Hindu leaders were on the hit list. (ANI)