PFI state secy in custody for communal posters

According to police sources,the movement of radical PFI members in the city had been under the scanner after some members of the outfit in Kerala were arrested on the charges of chopping off the hand of a college professor,T J Joseph,last month for allegedly hurting Muslim sentiment.

Police said Qureshi works with a prominent software company in Hinjewadi and Pathan runs a tailoring shop in Camp. On Monday,they and other PFI activists allegedly put up the posters in Kondhwa and other areas of the city.

A night patrol of Kondhwa police led by sub-inspector R N Bhange found the posters at the main gate of Kausarbaug Society and other public places.

Police had arrested Qureshi,a resident of Sarvoday Society,NIBM Road and Pathan of Kausarbaug Society,Kondhwa on Monday. On Tuesday,they got the duo’s custody for three days which ended on Friday. They were produced in Cantonment Court again on Friday and Judicial Magistrate (first class) A M Patankar remanded them in police custody till August 17.

The two were arrested under Section 153 (a) of Indian Penal Code for promoting enmity between groups on grounds of religion and Section 3 of the Public Property Defacement Act.

Police have also booked their aide Rafiq Bagwan (52) of Bhagyoday Nagar,Kondhwa,who is on the run. Qureshi’s laptop was seized and 28 posters were recovered from Kondhwa and more posters were found in other areas,police said.

The PFI has not denied the poster campaign. PFI national secretary O M A Salam told The Indian Express,“The poster campaign was launched for highlighting that Hindu groups are the real terrorists. We chose the historic date of August 9 for the campaign,the day when Quit India movement began. We want the day to be known as Save India Day.”