The Supreme Court of India, on Friday, denied bail to E Abubacker, the former chairman of the now-banned Popular Front of India (PFI), who is facing charges under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA). Abubacker’s plea for bail on medical grounds was rejected after the court reviewed his medical report.
Abubacker was arrested by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) on September 22, 2022, during a nationwide crackdown on the PFI. His arrest followed accusations against the organization’s involvement in activities deemed as promoting terrorism. The government subsequently banned PFI and its associated organizations on September 28, 2022, linking them to global terror networks such as ISIS.
During the hearing, a bench comprising Justices MM Sundresh and Rajesh Bindal evaluated Abubacker’s health condition, including his battle with Parkinson’s disease and a recent cancer surgery. Despite these health issues, the court decided against granting bail, citing the severity of the charges laid against him.
Abubacker had approached the Supreme Court after both the trial court and the high court denied his bail applications. In his plea, he argued that the NIA had failed to substantiate the charges against him, claiming his entitlement to bail on both medical and merit grounds.
The NIA has charged Abubacker and other members of the PFI with conspiring to fundraise for committing terrorist acts across India. The agency also accused them of organizing camps to indoctrinate and train their cadre, further intensifying the legal scrutiny against the former PFI leader.
The arrest of Abubacker was part of a broader series of arrests that occurred across various states including Kerala, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Assam, Uttar Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Puducherry, Delhi, and Rajasthan, highlighting a significant crackdown on the organization’s activities.
