The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Saturday arrested a Popular Front of India (PFI) cadre, Mohammad Sajjad Alam, at the Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport on his arrival from Dubai, the agency said on Sunday.

An NIA team arrested Alam, a native of East Champaran district in Bihar, soon after he arrived at the Delhi airport on Saturday. The NIA Special Court in Patna had issued an arrest warrant against him in connection with the central agency’s ongoing probe into the Phulwarisharif case in Patna. Alam, a trained cadre of the banned outfit PFI, also faced a Look Out Circular.

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According to the NIA, Alam was involved in channelising illegal funds from Dubai to PFI cadres in Bihar through a syndicate operating in the UAE, Karnataka, and Kerala. The funds were used to promote the banned outfit’s criminal and unlawful activities.

The case in which he was apprehended was initially registered by the Phulwarisharif police in July 2022 and related to PFI cadres’ alleged involvement in unlawful and anti-national activities.

According to the agency, the PFI cadres had conspired to create an atmosphere of terror and spread religious animosity among members of different religions and groups through activities prejudicial to the maintenance of peace and harmony in the country.

The agency stated that their activities involved using criminal force to disturb public tranquility.

The NIA, which took over the investigation days after the registration of the original case, has arrested and chargesheeted 17 accused so far.

Further investigation is underway.