New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Friday (September 20) sought a response from the National Investigation Agency (NIA) on a plea filed by former Popular Front of India (PFI) chairman E Abubacker seeking his release in the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) case.
A bench comprising Justice MM Sundresh and Justice Aravind Kumar issued notice to the NIA on Abubacker’s plea and sought its response.
Abubacker has moved the Supreme Court challenging a May 28 order of the Delhi High Court refusing to enlarge him on bail. He had sought his release on both merit as well as medical grounds.
What did the High Court say while dismissing Abubacker’s plea
The High Court, while dismissing Abubacker’s plea said, “The allegations and averments appearing in charge-sheet coupled with the statements made by the witnesses, including the protected witnesses, the tone and tenor of the speeches made by the appellant (Abubacker), the fact that appellant was earlier closely associated with SIMI and when it was banned, he switched to PFI; the manner in which he has been sanctioning amount from PFI bank account and the overall impact of the material so collected by the investigating agency; leave no element of uncertainty in our minds about the fact that the case of the prosecution, with respect to the commission of offences falling under Chapter-IV and Chapter-VI of UAPA, is prima facie true.”
Trial Court has already given due consideration to his medical condition: High Court
Regarding the medical condition of Abubacker, the High Court said that “There is no doubt that appellant is suffering from various ailments but fact remains that learned Trial Court has already given due consideration to his medical condition and has already issued slew of directions.”
Abubacker had moved the High Court against the trial court order refusing to grant him bail on health grounds.
NIA arrested Abubacker in September 2022
The NIA had arrested Abubacker on September 22, 2022. The agencies had detained or arrested a large number of alleged activists of PFI in several states during the massive raids preceding the nation-wide ban imposed on PFI in September 2022. The arrests were made in states and union territories including Kerala, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Assam, Uttar Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Puducherry, Delhi and Rajasthan.
According to the NIA, PFI and its officer bearers and members hatched a criminal conspiracy to raise funds for committing acts of terror in various parts of India and they were conducting training camps to indoctrinate and train their cadres for this purpose.