NIA may seek police custody of PFI members

HYDERABAD: The National Investigation Agency (NIA) is likely to take police custody of four accused for questioning in connection with the alleged terror classes conducted by the Popular Front of India (PFI) in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh. The NIA on Tuesday filed a petition before the court seeking police custody, alleging that they had conducted classes for more than 300 youth.

NIA officials who had conducted raids in Telangana, especially in Nizamabad, and AP a few days ago had arrested four persons and produced them before the court for judicial remand: Mohammed Syed Yahiya Sammer, 22, of Ahmedpura of Nizamabad district; Mohammed Irfan, 36, of Rahmatpur, Jagtial; and Sheik Feroz Khan, 22, of Shanthinagar. Adilabad, and Mohammad Osman, resident of Shamirpet, Medchal district.

In its remand report, the NIA said that the PFI members had organised special camps at different places by luring youth and imparted them training to create disturbances and indulge in criminal conspiracy. The accused with the assistance of as-yet-unidentified sources had obtained funds to carry out training sessions at different places.

"On the pretext of providing karate training, the PFI members lured more than 300 youth from rural areas in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana by identifying them through social networking sites like Facebook, Twitter and others. After having a chat with the youth, the PFI members organised camps in Nizamabad and imparted (training in) terror acts to create law and order issues and to wage a war against the Indian government," the NIA said.

NIA officials said they needed to question the four accused to obtain more leads.

Meanwhile, the NIA officials, who questioned more than nine persons in connection with the case, are likely to detain them.