Statewide crackdown: UP ATS arrests 2 over ‘PFI link’, detains 70 for questioning

Activist-lawyer Mohammad Shoaib, the founder of Rihai Manch that provides legal assistance to those accused in terror cases, was taken in custody “for questioning” from Lucknow’s Aminabad area on Sunday morning. He, however, was released by late evening, a member of his family said.

In a statement, the police said that a total of 211 people, who were in the past associated with the PFI, have been identified in the state. “A campaign was started on Saturday to take action against the suspects,” the statement read.

The action was taken by field units of ATS in Noida, Saharanpur, Meerut, Moradabad, Kanpur, Lucknow, Bahraich, Gorakhpur, Varanasi and Azamgarh. Of the 211 people identified, 70 have been brought to their respective police station for questioning.

In 20 districts across the state, the highest number of people were detained for questioning in Shamli (11) followed by Ghaziabad (10), Lucknow (9), and Varanasi (8).

State Additional Director General (Law and Order) Prashant Kumar said that activist Mohammad Shoaib is being questioned by ATS officers.

Earlier in the day, Shoaib’s wife Malka Bi in a complaint to the Aminabad Station House Officer said, “At 7.30 am, nearly 12 people, including some in police uniform, came and took away my husband. These people were in plainclothes and didn’t identify themselves. My husband has a heart condition for 15 years and has been unwell for the past six months.”

“They said that he (Shoaib) has been called to the Aminabad police station for 10-15 minutes and will be released soon. Three people were in uniform, while seven were in civilian clothes. I can’t say who they were. He has not taken his medicines,” she said in a video statement released by her.

ADG Kumar said, “He (Shoaib) has been taken for questioning in connection with action against the PFI. He will be released if his involvement is not found in anything.”

Shoaib, who has been detained by the police several times, had held a press conference in Lucknow in July 2021 with family members of five men accused of being operatives of al-Qaeda-linked Ansar Ghazwat-ul Hind.

During the protests against Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and the National Register of Citizens (NRC), the 75-year-old was booked for rioting and under other charges at the Hazratganj police station for the violence that took place in the city on December 19, 2019.

He was also among 28 people who were asked to pay for damages worth Rs 63.37 lakh in Hazratganj area. After being arrested on the day of the violence, he was released on bail a month later. After his release, he had denied the allegations against him in connection with the December 19, 2019 incident. He had said that he was in police custody when the violence occurred in Lucknow.

In the statement, the police that “regular action” is being taken against the PFI and its members as the outfit promotes fanaticism among a certain section of society involved in anti-national activities.

In September last year, the central government had announced a ban on the outfit followed by a nationwide crackdown on the organisation.

Parvez Ahmad and Raees Ahmad were absconding in connection with a case registered under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) in which one Abdullah Saud Ansari was arrested after the Centre’s ban on the outfit.

They had a reward of Rs 50,000 each, said the statement.

“The two (Parvez and Raees) accused were spreading the PFI’s extremist ideology and have two other cases under sections 121-A (waging, or attempting to wage war, or abetting waging of war, against the Government of India) of the Indian Penal Code … During the time of CAA-NRC (protests), Raees Ahmad was in touch with PFI leaders from Assam and other states and was actively involved in anti-national activities,” read the police statement.

The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) had imposed the ban on the PFI and its associate organisations — Rehab India Foundation and Campus Front of India — for five years under the UAPA.