On Monday, a National Investigation Agency (NIA) court in Kerala ‘warned’ Popular Front of India (PFI) terrorists who took pictures of the NIA officers inside the court premises. The officers were there to take custody of the accused in the terrorism case. The relatives of the accused PFI leaders took photos and videos of NIA officers in the Kochi NIA court premises in full public view.
The dramatic incident occurred while the custody application of five PFI terrorists arrested in Kerala in a nationwide raid was being considered. Following the incident, the NIA officials informed the court that the relatives took videos under ‘mysterious circumstances.’ When questioned, these relatives turned aggressive and threatened the NIA officers. Though the court ‘noted’ that this is a serious matter, those who indulged in the act were not arrested.
NIA officials took custody of top PFI leaders Karamana Ashraf Moulavi (National in-charge, Education wing of PFI), Yahya Thangal (PFI State Executive Member), Abdul Sattar (State General Secretary), K Muhammad Ali (National in-charge, Expansion wing of PFI), and CT Sulaiman (District President of Kasargod). Though NIA officers wanted five days of custody, the court granted only three, and they took the terrorists for questioning. Reports suggested that Sulaiman’s son took videos of the NIA officers.
Thangal is believed to have instigated the family of a 10-year-old boy to call for the genocide of non-Muslims in Alappuzha. He continued verbal abuse and claimed that the Kerala High Court judges wore saffron underwear. Kerala police tried to suppress the incidents, but public protests forced them to arrest these terrorists. They were later released on bail.
The NIA court said such incidents should not be repeated on court premises. This time, the court meekly informed that an institution could not be threatened. If a judge goes, another will replace him, similar to the case with investigating officers.
Does it mean that terrorists can track officers outside the premises? Doesn’t the court know that PFI has a habit of preparing ‘lists’ of RSS leaders and systematically eliminating them? Didn’t the court know that Kerala police collected such information and handed it over to the PFI?
The NIA demanded further interrogation after examining the social media accounts of these terrorists. According to the NIA, the accused needed to be questioned about their social media and email exchanges, which the agency obtained. Financial transactions and funds that the accused received are also being analyzed.
PFI leaders from various states, including Kerala, were arrested by the NIA en masse on September 22.
