Two arrested PFI members had opened secret office in Varanasi to execute 'Ghazwa-e-Hind' plan: Uttar Pradesh ATS

The alleged PFI members were arrested by the UP ATS from Varanasi on May 7.

Lucknow: The alleged two Popular Front of India (PFI) members arrrested by the Uttar Pradesh anti-terrorist squad (ATS) were had opened a secret office in capital Lucknow to carry out their activities, sources said. The accused duo identified as Parvez and Raees were arrested by the UP ATS from Varanasi on May 7.

The court had remanded both these accused to the ATS from May 11 to 18, which has expired. Sources in the ATS said that the alleged PFI members Parvez and Rais, have made several big revelations in front of the ATS during interrogation. Both told the ATS officials during remand that secret meetings were being held after the NIA and ATS action against PFI in Sept. 2022.

The biggest meeting was held in Karnataka, the duo told the ATS adding both of them had participated in this meeting. After attending the meeting held in Karnataka, both of them had opened a secret office in Varanasi itself, where strategy was made to implement 'Gazwa-e-Hind. Not only this, PFI had made preparations to make Varanasi a center to bring the Ghazwa-e-Hind (battle of India) plan to the ground, sources said.

The aim of opening the secret office in Lucknow was to scale up the activism of the PFI to implement their plan, added the sources. Sources said that during the remand, both the alleged PFI members said that in the meeting held in Karnataka, instructions were passed that the organization should increase its activities in Varanasi city of Uttar Pradesh.

UP ATS chief Naveen Arora said that the PFI members Parvez and Rais had Rs 50,000 bounty on their heads. The duo have told ATS that they were recruited into the PFI by one Nadeem, who has already been arrested by the ATS. Nadeem is the state treasurer of the Popular Front of India (PFI) and was arrested from Barabanki during an ATS raid last year.

According to Arora, soon a team will visit the jail to interrogate Nadeem in the case. It is noteworthy that in Sept. 2022, more than 50 members and office bearers of the Popular Front of India (PFI) were arrested across the state after the outfit was banned by the Centre.