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The Delhi High Court Friday issued notice on a plea filed by a man seeking a copy of the FIR lodged by the National Investigation Agency (NIA), which arrested him over his alleged association with the Popular Front of India (PFI).
A single judge bench of Justice Anoop Kumar Mendiratta issued notice to the respondent agency seeking their response to the plea. The counsel appearing for the agency raised a preliminary objection on the maintainability of the plea; he further sought a short adjournment on the ground that the Additional Solicitor General appearing in the matter was unwell. The court has listed the matter on October 10.
The petitioner, Mohammad Yusuf, has alleged he was arrested by the agency from his home in Chennai on September 22 in connection with an FIR lodged against him under various provisions of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act and the IPC over alleged involvement in terrorist activities.
The petition alleges that at the time of the arrest, Yusuf was not provided a copy of the FIR and was neither informed about the grounds of arrest or particulars of the offences for which he was arrested.
Further, when the petitioner, along with several other persons arrested by NIA, was produced before the trial court and sought a copy of the FIR, he was denied the same on the ground that the matter is of a sensitive nature and providing a copy of the FIR would hamper the investigation.
The counsel appearing for the petitioner submitted that the trial court had stated that the petitioner will be provided a copy of the FIR after the expiry of police remand, but the same has not been done. He further submitted that the matter is listed before the trial court also on Monday and the agency should be directed to provide a copy of the FIR to the petitioner. The HC observed that they will hear both parties on Monday.
On September 22, the NIA along with the Enforcement Directorate carried out a nation-wide search, detain and arrest operation against the PFI at its offices. The Ministry of Home Affairs on September 28 published a gazette notification declaring PFI along with its “associates or affiliates or fronts including Rehab India Foundation (RIF), Campus Front of India (CFI), All India Imams Council (AIIC), National Confederation of Human Rights Organisation (NCHRO), National Women’s Front, Junior Front, Empower India Foundation and Rehab Foundation, Kerala as an “unlawful association”.
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