The Delhi High Court, on Tuesday, dismissed a plea by E Abubacker, the former chairman of the now-banned Popular Front of India (PFI), seeking his release from custody on medical grounds. Abubacker, who is currently held in judicial custody, was arrested by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) during a comprehensive crackdown on the organization in 2022. His request for interim bail had been previously denied by the trial court.
Justices Suresh Kumar Kait and Manoj Jain of the Delhi High Court, in their verdict, declared, “We hereby dismiss the appeal.” Abubacker had appealed for his release citing both the merits of his case and his health concerns.
The NIA has accused PFI and its members of engaging in a criminal conspiracy to raise funds for committing terrorist acts across various parts of the country. The agency also alleges that PFI conducted training camps to indoctrinate and train cadres for terrorist activities.
The nationwide ban on PFI was enacted in September 2022, following extensive raids across 11 states where a significant number of PFI activists were detained or arrested. These states include Kerala, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Assam, Uttar Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Puducherry, Delhi, and Rajasthan. The ban was implemented under the stringent Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA), with the government citing PFI’s alleged links to global terror groups like ISIS.
Earlier in February, the High Court had mandated that the Medical Superintendent of Tihar Jail provide “efficacious” treatment to Abubacker for his ailments regularly. However, the court had refused to place him under house arrest, stating that he would be admitted to a hospital for treatment if required.
