Kerala PFI case: NIA arrests practicing HC advocate, 'hit squad trainer' as 14th accused

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The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has arrested a practicing Kerala High Court advocate and Popular Front of India (PFI) Martial Arts and Hit Squad Trainer as 14th accused in a case linked to the banned outfit, the agency said on Friday.

The accused identified as Mohammed Mubarak AI, a resident of Ernakulam district in Kerala, was arrested on Thursday subsequent to the searches conducted at 56 locations in Kerala.

The case was registered suo-moto by the agency on September 19 this year.

Also read: Major crackdown on PFI in Kerala; nearly five dozen locations searched: NIA

In a statement, the NIA said the arrested accused, Mohammed Mubarak AI is a PFI Martial Arts and Hit Squad Trainer, and that he is a practicing advocate in the Kerala High Court.

The agency said it recovered an assortment of arms, concealed in a badminton racket bag from the house of Mohammed Mubarak AI during the searches conducted on Thursday.

Besides, an axe, swords and sickles were also seized in the raid from the House of the accused, said the NIA.

"Investigations have confirmed that the PFI was raising, training and maintaining Hit Squads in different States and districts to target leaders and members of other communities," said the NIA.

On Thursday, the NIA conducted searches at 56 locations in Kerala that included residences of the group's seven State Executive Committee members, seven Zonal Heads and 15 Physical Training Instructors-Trainers.

The anti-terror agency also searched the houses of seven cadres trained in the use of knives, daggers, swords and other types of weapons to carry out murderous violent acts and 20 other suspects in the districts of Trivandrum (3), Kollam (3), Pathanamthitta (3), Kottayam (2), Alappuzha (3), Ernakulam (13), Thrissur (2), Palakkad (1), Malappuram (7), Kozhikode (4), Kannur (9) and Wayanad (6).

The agency said the raids were part of its ongoing case which is related to unlawful and violent activities being carried out by the PFI, its office bearers, cadres, members and affiliates.

The NIA said that the PFI has been found "justifying the use of criminal force and encouraging vulnerable youth to join terrorist organisations".

Earlier on September 22 this year, NIA had conducted searches at 24 locations in Kerala, including offices of PFI and residences of 13 accused.

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