The Allahabad High Court has directed a special court in Lucknow to submit a detailed status report explaining the lack of progress in the trial of two alleged Popular Front of India members who have been incarcerated in Uttar Pradesh since 2021.
A division bench comprising Justice Rajesh Singh Chauhan and Justice Ram Manohar Narayan Mishra issued the directive on August 3, noting that the Special Sessions Judge for NIA and ATS cases in Lucknow failed to follow previous High Court mandates to expedite the proceedings. The matter has been scheduled for a follow-up hearing on August 10.
Slow Trial Pace Highlighted by Defense
Defense counsel informed the High Court that the trial under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act has made virtually no headway despite explicit instructions issued in December 2022 and January 2024 urging swift completion without unnecessary postponements.
Out of 18 prosecution witnesses, cross-examination of the second witness remains unfinished, while the principal complainant, an Anti-Terror Squad official, has yet to be cross-examined. Citing the extended delay and Supreme Court precedent, the defense requested bail for the accused.
Origins of the Case and Allegations
The case stems from the February 2021 arrest of Kerala residents Ansad Badruddin and Firoz in Lucknow by the Uttar Pradesh Police Anti-Terror Squad. Authorities accused the duo of traveling from Kerala to carry out targeted attacks against leaders of Hindu religious organizations and set off explosives at religious gatherings.
State officials stated that officers seized weapons, detonators, and explosives during the operation, along with a Malayalam-language diary containing coded references to arson, attacks, and specific locations including the Ram Mandir. A chargesheet incorporating charges of waging war against the country was subsequently submitted to the special court.
Judicial History and Background
The High Court previously rejected bail for both men in December 2022, citing the gravity of the evidence recorded in the case diary. The defendants filed a subsequent petition under Section 482 of the Code of Criminal Procedure seeking permission to cross-examine prosecution witnesses, which the High Court granted on January 24, 2024, alongside a directive to finalize the trial expeditiously.
The defendants have maintained their innocence, stating they functioned only as passenger transporters and that five earlier cases against them in Kerala involved minor offenses. Meanwhile, the Union government officially banned the Popular Front of India and its affiliated groups in 2022 over allegations of terror financing, radicalization, and anti-national activities.
